Why live music matters in care homes

Live music is a regular part of life across Each Other Care. Walk into one of our homes and you might catch a harpists mid-song or an accordion player getting everyone singing along.

We welcome musicians of all kinds: pianists, bands, choirs. We offer music from all decades and genres, recognising our resident’s unique passions and interests. We talk about who we’d like to invite, in everyday conversations with residents as well as in our resident committee meetings, which take place each month across our homes and are a space where residents input their voice, shaping life in our homes.

Some of our musicians have become familiar faces. At Benholm Care Home in Forfar, Gordon Reid has been visiting with his Scottish accordion for over ten years. The residents know him and look forward to his visit every Tuesday morning. The relationships built mattering just as much as the music itself. At Dunniwood Lodge Care Home in Doncaster, resident Len arranged for a choir to visit, the one his wife Ann used to sing with before she moved into the home. When her old friends arrived, she was part of it again.

Meaningful engagement with music isn't one-size-fits-all. For some residents, it means singing along or playing an instrument. For others, it's simply being in the room, content in feeling part of something. Research on engagement in dementia care has found that both verbal and non-verbal responses to music are equally meaningful forms of participation. This could be a smile, a hand reaching toward the musician or eyes closing to listen.

Something we've noticed is that music doesn't just benefit our residents. Our teams are seeing people responding in ways they'd never seen before. Someone quite becoming animated. Someone restless becoming calm. These moments give us new insight into the people in our care, often leading to stronger relationships and a better understanding of how to care for them going forward.

We're now working with the University of Sheffield on a research project exploring how residents might create their own music using new technology. It's early days, but we're interested in what happens when we make music and what that might mean for the wellbeing and identity of our residents.