Calling all iPod owners: help improve the lives of people with Dementia
Published: 09/05/2014
Care at home services provider Bluebird Care Watford & Three Rivers and Chiltern & Dacorum are hosting an iPod Donation Drive to support the Playlist for Life Charity and Alzheimer’s Society Singing for the Brain groups in Hertfordshire.
The events will take place at Bluebird Care offices in both Rickmansworth and Hemel Hempstead.Bluebird Care are appealing to their office staff, care workers and the wider community to come along to their offices with any new or used iPods and equipment to put them to good use by donating them to someone with dementia.
All iPod equipment collected will be divided between the charities Alzheimer’s Singing for the Brain Hertfordshire and Playlist for Life, who aspire to help people obtain the equipment needed to create and deliver a loved one’s playlist for life.
The events will take place on Thursday 15 May (Ricky Week) between 10.30am -12.30pm at Langwood House, 63-81 High Street, Rickmansworth, WD3 1EQ and again on Thursday 22 May (Dementia Awareness Week) between 10.30am -12.30pm at 5 Clifton Court, Corner Hall, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 9XY.
For those who cannot make these dates, Bluebird Care will accept iPod equipment donations at anytime during office opening hours – 08.30am – 5pm until 31 July.
Read about the event in The Watford Observer
About Playlist for Life
Play List for Life’s core work is to encourage families and other caregivers to offer people with dementia a thoughtfully compiled and highly personal playlist, delivered on an mp3 media player device such as an iPod, of the music that has been meaningful to them during their life. Through their website we offer guidance that can help individuals to get started. www.playlistforlife.org.uk
The joy of this approach is that the benefits extend much further than one person. Family members, either looking after someone at home or visiting them in residential care, find that sharing this kind of music can help recover the closeness of a relationship and bring structure to what is often a long day or a difficult visit.
About Alzheimer’s Society Singing for the Brain
Singing for the Brain is a service provided by Alzheimer's Society which uses singing to bring people together in a friendly and stimulating social environment.
Singing is not only an enjoyable activity, it can also provide a way for people with dementia, along with their carers, to express themselves and socialise with others in a fun and supportive group.
Hidden in the fun are activities which build on the well-known preserved memory for song and music in the brain. Even when many memories are hard to retrieve, music is especially easy to recall.
Jill Dean, Leader of Singing for the Brain Hertfordshire said:
Singing for the Brain Hertfordshire is an incredibly popular service and being able to provide iPods with personal music will extend the provision of our service to people with Dementia.”
Sally Magnusson, Chair of Playlist for Life said:The best way of giving every person with dementia the opportunity to benefit from a playlist for life is to spread the word that personally meaningful music is an invaluable tool for dementia care and treatment.”
Graham Batterham, Managing Director of Bluebird Care Watford & Three Rivers and Chiltern & Dacorum is committed to helping people with dementia:We are delighted to be supporting both these charities as we are committed to doing our utmost to help our customers to live their lives as full and rewarding as possible.”
