Playlist for Life Music for Dementia

Help Points

Playlist for life is a music and dementia charity, formed by Sally Magnusson in 2013, that promotes the creation of a personally meaningful playlist but is applicable to people with different conditions as well. Personal playlists are a cheap, simple and powerful way to harness meaningful music to lessen anxiety, improve mood and comfort for the person with dementia and strengthen relationships and communication with family and friends.

Playlists are simple and fun to create. You begin by thinking about music that has meaning. For example, songs that were sung in childhood, or a theme tune that reminds you of a specific event or people - such as meeting a partner, having children, going out with friends etc. Ideally, the person recalls the piece of music themselves. The playlist can be noted down on a piece of paper, in a music journal (available on the Playlist for life website) or stored electronically. The music can be sung with the person, played on existing music players, on an MP3 player or streamed using an online music service or even watched on Youtube.

However, if this cannot be done, then someone has to become a ‘music detective’ by using a variety of approaches to help identify potential playlist songs. This may be a family member or a trained volunteer at a Playlist for Life Help Point. A help point offers a bit more support for people trying to create a playlist. Playlist for Life offers free training to become a help point volunteer, including how to become a music detective. A help point poster is displayed with the time when a volunteer will be available – known as the ‘cuppa time’ session. This can happen weekly, fortnightly or monthly, depending on availability.

Often people come to Cuppa Time looking for tech advice. Volunteers do need to have basic computer skills and personal experience of listening to music on a phone or MP3 player. So, volunteers need to be available for the cuppa time sessions, have completed the necessary legal and safety checks and keep a note of who attends each session. There is always further assistance from the Playlist for life team in Glasgow as well for any more complex technical questions.

I'm working with Playlist for Life setting up help points in Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster.

We are running a fantastic training day on Tuesday 22nd January 10am - 3.30pm at The Well, Ecclesall Road.

To sign up now as a Help Point www.playlistforlife.org.uk/set-up-a-help-point

Book on and come along to find out more www.playlistforlife.org.uk/Event/training-for-help-points-sheffield-22nd-january-2019
Further information can be found on the website at www.playlistforlife.org.uk

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