Keeping memories alive for people with dementia
Couples who have experience of living with dementia have described how our “music angel” has helped them record precious life-long memories.
Music therapist Terry Craig has worked with the Trust and its predecessor organisations for 31 years.
She recently retired, but returned to work part time. She works with patients at our Acute Adult Inpatient Service and Older People Inpatient Services in Colchester, encouraging them to use music as a way of exploring their thoughts and feelings as part of their recovery.
She also attends Age Well East’s weekly dementia café at the Orchard Baptist Church in Colchester, where she plays music and works with people who have dementia to create a digital life story to help them recall memories.
Terry uses Music Mirrors, a digital platform developed by Heather Edwards. She works with people to record their memories and music that has special significance to them.
She said: “What’s important is it’s used as a tool by the people who care for them to engage with them when they are no longer able to recall memories easily.
“It builds bridges of understanding between carers and the person with dementia.
“People have found it very helpful. Families are able to get together and spark memories about the good times. This is often a cathartic experience for the whole family at a time of uncertainty.
“And when the person dies, their legacy is there in their Music Mirror.”
Terry helped Hazel Laird-Johnson, who has dementia, and her husband Malcolm to create a Music Mirror.
Malcolm said: “We called Terry the ‘music angel’ as she turned up on her push bike spreading love and laughter with her violin on her back.”
WATCH: In the short video below, Terry Craig explains what Music Mirrors are, and Malcolm and Hazel, and Kay and Robert Bethell, explain how Music Mirrors has helped them keep memories alive.
WATCH: Wendy and Allan Fairbank explain how Terry helped them create a Music Mirror to record Allan's memories and favourite music.
September is World Alzheimer’s Month, which is organised by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) to raise awareness and challenge stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s and dementia.
This year’s campaign, ‘Never too early, never too late’, focuses on the factors that increase the likelihood of developing dementia and what we can do to reduce our risk.
You can find out more information about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia on the Alzheimer’s Disease International website and Alzheimer’s Society website.
We also offer a wide range of services to support people with dementia, including:
- The Dementia Intensive Support Team, which provides intensive support to patients with dementia and older people with a mental health diagnosis, to help avoid them needing to go into hospital when they are experiencing a mental health crisis.
- Memory Assessment Service for people who have noticed changes with their memory and are concerned.
- Older People’s Community Mental Health Teams, which provide assessments, care planning, co-ordination and monitoring, rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and domiciliary support
- Care homes at Rawreth Court in Rayleigh and Clifton Lodge in Westcliff, which provide tailored care and support for people with dementia
You can find out more about our full range of services and how to get help on Our Services pages.