A music therapy programme for people with memory loss, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, combining a museum tour with a drum circle session.
The Musical Instrument Museum is hosting another session of its Memory Care and Music series on Wednesday, November 11. It's a music-therapy program designed for people living with memory loss, Alzheimer's, and related dementias, and it's built for care partners to attend right alongside them. The whole idea is that music can transport people back to their own past and lift their current state—something that's been backed up by recent studies showing music therapy can ease anxiety and agitation, help bring back long-term memories, and improve social interaction.
Each session is split into two halves. First, there's a 45-minute gallery tour led by a MIM museum guide, where participants get to explore instruments and music from a variety of cultures. That's followed by a 45-minute music-making session led by a music therapist. Together, it's a multisensory experience where people can interact and share stories. Care partners have talked about seeing renewed energy, joy, and even dancing from the people they're supporting.
This particular date features a drum circle led by master instructor Frank Thompson, so the music-making part of the afternoon will be centered around that. The series is supported by The Twiford Foundation.
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It runs from 1 PM to 3 PM, with check-in from 12:30 to 1 PM. This is part of a larger series that has run throughout the year—February 18, March 18, April 15, May 13, June 10, July 15, August 12, September 9, October 14, November 11, and December 9—so if you're looking for something to do on a Wednesday afternoon, this is one of the dates.
