Kandahar Court’s recreation room is full of music, singing and smiles on a Tuesday afternoon as the residents participate in a regular music therapy session.
The Masterton dementia care facility started offering music therapy sessions for residents in 2016 and has continued thanks to support from the Tom and Ann Cunningham Trust, the Roy and Jan Mace Trust and the Trust House Foundation.
The sessions are led by registered music therapist Pip Algie, who brings in her guitar and other instruments for the residents to play.
“Pip incorporates everyone – she’s so great at encouraging every resident and it brings out the best in them all,” says Kandahar Home and Court recreation officer Di McCuish.
“Music can trigger emotions, memories, feelings and can transport us to a time and place.”
A typical session will see Pip warming up the participants by doing stretches in their chairs, reaching their arms up to the sky and wiggling their fingers.
Then Pip alternates between the guitar and the piano to have everyone sing along to well-known classics such as Edelweiss, Long way to Tipperary, Ten Guitars and Pokarekare Ana.
Residents are handed drums, tambourines, maracas and sleigh bells to join in on the music making with Pip. There is even space in the centre of the room for dancing if anyone feels so inclined.
Di explains that holding the session later in the afternoon before dinner helps to counteract a naturally-occurring anxiety for people with dementia called sundowning or ‘late day confusion’.
“It’s the time of day when previously they may have been going home from work, preparing for their families to get home or coming inside from a day on the farm.”
Enliven’s Kandahar Home in Lansdowne, Masterton offers rest home and hospital care, while nearby Kandahar Court offers secure dementia care. For more information call the friendly team on 06 370 0447.
