*Check out three NEW video clips below, featuring an entertainer for care homes, made possible by Langley House, Jack Dormand & Village Nursing. These clips showcase the impact of music therapy sessions and the joy of singing for the brain.
My Story: The Power of Music Therapy
SINGALONG with JOHN was never planned. As far as career aspirations go, it wasn't even on the list. However, as an activities coordinator specializing in dementia care, I realized it evolved during a long and challenging time, bringing at least a smile to her face through the power of music and memory.
My mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2012. She always loved music and still does today. Unfortunately, most of everything else is gone. She doesn’t recall my dad (her husband of 54 years) or any of her siblings and friends, and I’m usually mistaken for either the fictitious “man across the road” or her father, who passed away when she was seven! As the saying goes: The lights are on, but sadly nobody’s home!
Amazingly, I can pick up the guitar and strum the chords to almost any song from the 1950’s or 60’s, and her response is almost immediate. Her foot starts to tap, she lifts up her head, smiles (a scarce but cherished moment), followed by that wonderful cheeky wink, and she’s off... song after song, note by note, and word by word. There isn’t a drug in the entire world able to do that!
My background is varied and largely irrelevant, but includes over 40 years within the Music Business. I’ve worked under contractual agreements with different artists and have been fortunate enough to played hundreds of live shows all over the world, including several tours of Japan, the USA, South America, Scandinavia, and Europe.
As my mother’s condition deteriorated, I stopped working full-time in 2017 to share the responsibility for her care with my sisters. During this time, I sought out various organisations to provide help and support to families dealing with dementia care.
I met Paddy Morley shortly thereafter; he managed the local care home, The Meadows, located not far from my mum’s home, and he specialises in dementia care. With 40 years as a registered nurse and 20 years managing care homes, Paddy's knowledge and expertise in the field is literally unsurpassed.
Eventually, Paddy persuaded me to take on the role of Activity Coordinator at The Meadows on a part-time basis. Until then, I had never set foot inside a care home, but Paddy believed I had a “natural aptitude” for the job. He outlined his aims and objectives and allowed me to get on with it, sowing the seed for SINGALONG with JOHN, though I didn’t know that at the time.
The role of Activity Coordinator became a labor of love, giving me tremendous job satisfaction. I set up an Arts & Crafts workshop with an endless supply of surplus cardboard boxes, paint, glue, and sticky-back plastic, and we began recreating some of the residents’ most cherished memories. Eat your heart out, Blue Peter… (see photos below).
Living in Sunderland, a coastal town, the fun and frolics of the seaside are never far from people's minds. We salvaged a beach hut for sunny days to serve chips, toffee apples, and candy floss. We featured Punch & Judy, crazy golf, an ice cream cart, fairground paraphernalia, and a host of beach-related activities. There was even a jukebox and a cinema that allowed residents to revisit those bygone adolescent days of snogging in the back row and Rockin’ around the Clock! (see photos below).
Of all the activities we did, there’s no doubt which one the residents enjoyed most: the SING-ALONGS! The more interactive we could make them, the better! Sometimes our renditions were surprisingly good; other times, they were dreadful, but either way, we always had a lot of fun.
The SINGALONG with JOHN characters, such as "Fred the Ted" and "Private Tommy," simply materialized from the residents’ own recollections of the times and the many real-life characters they’d met along the way.
For years, scientists, neurologists, and philosophers alike have cited an irrefutable link between music and memory for its uncanny ability to transport us back to particular moments in time. Recent advances have proven this theory beyond mere speculation (see Music and the brain diagram below). Doctors and healthcare professionals routinely use melodic music and ambient sound to create a sense of calm and wellbeing for those with insomnia and stress-related disorders. Practitioners of meditation also utilize the natural sounds of nature for similar effects. The loud, angst-driven sounds of Motorhead or Thrash Metal are hardly likely to achieve such goals; then again, I know some strange people...
In my mother’s case (as in countless others I've witnessed in care homes over the years), I can only compare it to someone turning on a light switch!
In addition to the hundreds of group sessions I’ve been privileged to host, there’s also the more intimate bedside sessions for those sadly at the end of their lives. It’s not uncommon for individuals to remain completely withdrawn and reluctant to interact for weeks, months, or even years. Yet somehow, occasionally, the music breaks through. It’s truly amazing how often it does.
The aim of SINGALONG with JOHN is simple: to provide a fun and light-hearted evening of reminiscence, laughter, and song! My hope is that it delivers even more.
In memory of my late mother, Florence Casey (03/04/32 to 20/10/2020).
A few words from Paddy...
John is the most effective and caring Activities Coordinator I have encountered in 35 years of nursing and 17 years as a Home Manager. He possesses a unique gift and a passion for entertaining others. John is incredibly creative and has developed music and activities programs that elicit positive responses from residents with cognitive impairments. I've witnessed him "awakening" residents who hadn't spoken for years through a simple song performed on a one-to-one basis. He utilizes his performing background and innate non-verbal skills to engage residents in a way that they truly enjoy.
John has a deep understanding of older people. His work with seniors from the North East reflects his knowledge of their lifestyles, workplaces, and social interactions. This expertise is evident in how he delivers his sessions, incorporating local history, art, songs, pictures, and items from the past into a rounded experience. John’s brilliant sense of humor ensures that all his activities are accompanied by smiles and laughter.
I have no hesitation in recommending John’s sessions to anyone working with older people or those with impaired cognition. His vitality and enthusiasm are infectious. His sessions uplift both residents and staff, and the positive effects on a resident's daily experience are invaluable.
Patrick Morley, RMN, Registered Home Manager.
Kissin' in the backrow!
Who's a pretty boy then?
Seaside / Fairground - photo placards
A-WOP-BOP-A-LULA.....
Here comes Mister Whippy!
Beach Hut. Hotdogs, chips & candy floss
That's the way to do it!
The Secret Garden / Wishing Tree
Oi, will you two pack that in!!!
Edith x
Santa's Grotto lit-up!
Building Santa's Grotto
Edith x
Observatory
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