Does outdoor music benefit older people?

Percussion Play are set to conduct a pilot project to test whether outdoor music can help older people with dementia.

The fact that listening to music can help people with dementia, particularly by reducing stress levels and improving their communication, is pretty well-known. However, Percussion Pay, a leading organisation that creates musical play spaces, are testing to see whether alternative ways to accessing music can have the same effects.

The organisation have partnered up with The Huntington & Langham Estate, which runs two care homes in Surrey, to conduct a first-of-its kind study that will see dementia patients play music outdoors.

On the subject of firsts, the scheme has seen the appointment of a ‘Musician-in-Residence’, otherwise known as Stuart Wood MBE. Stuart, a scholar and academic who specialises in music and care, will be based on the Surrey Estate where he will be in charge of conducting different activities.

‘This study presents a valuable opportunity to examine how the intersection of outdoor environments and music-making can support the wellbeing of older people,’ Stuart said. ‘By facilitating musical experiments in natural settings, we aim to deepen our understanding of how such practices can foster social connection, emotional expression, and overall health in later life.’

The project is set to be part of Stuart’s Visiting Research Fellowship at Bath Spa University’s School of Music and Performing Arts, where he will also share findings from the research with students and post-graduate academics.

Sarah Chapman, Director at Huntington & Langham Estate, added: ‘We are very excited to be piloting this project alongside Percussion Play. We are curious about the possibilities and the benefits of combining music and nature and the impact this might have on the wellbeing of our residents and their families.’

Jody Ashfield, CEO of Percussion Play, has also expressed her enthusiasm about the new project, calling it an ‘exciting step in reimagining how we enhance the wellbeing of care home residents’.

‘Our instruments have long brought joy to people in care homes, parks, schools, and playgrounds and this study offers valuable opportunity to explore their positive, measurable impact within care home communities,’ she continued.

Photo by Steph Q via UnSplash 

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