A programme that enriches everyone's lives

Video transcript:

My name’s Meghan and I’m an Activities Coordinator at Brookfield House at Cardiff’s Court Care Home, and I’m a Music Champion. 

Yeah, I found it really good. I think that the start, I think we were all excited about it and we just sort of saw it as it was going to be like “oh yeah, we’ll get the music on, get everybody up and get them all dancing” and that kind of thing. But I think as it’s gone forward, learning sort of the reasons behind why we’re doing it, I think that it’s been beneficial for my job role in general and I’ve been able to look at it from a different perspective. Whereas usually it’s all about sort of high energy and getting everybody to join in, I think from doing Music in Mind it’s just appreciating those small moments that happen and realising they’re just as important as people maybe having a big sort of reaction to something. That a small reaction just because it’s smaller doesn’t mean it’s any less important for that person. So I think for the training, that’s been the best thing that I’ve taken out of it. 

I think the skills that I’ve learned from Music in Mind, I’ve been able to take with me into other activities that I do. Like just having a bit more patience, giving the residents a bit more space to see what they’re going to do and how they’re going to react to something rather than sort of being on the ball all the time, like expecting an immediate reaction and then being like “oh, they’re not enjoying it.” But it’s just having that bit of patience and maybe just taking a bit of a step back, because I think as an activities coordinator it’s like we’re supposed to have this thing where we go in and get everyone involved, as many people as you can, get everyone feeling happy and get the vibes going in the room, but it’s not always going to be like that, where it’s high energy all the time. It can just be calm and that’s good as well. So, I think doing Music in Mind has changed my perspective on my job role in general. It’s been valuable for me and I think it’s given me that bit of passion back as well because it can be quite a difficult job really, I think, as an activities coordinator. There can be a lot of stress sort of thinking, “oh, what am I going to do today with my residents? How am I going to find something that’s going to involve everybody?” But I think with Music in Mind, it being so inclusive, it’s something that reaches everyone. So if maybe the room’s a bit stressful, putting the music on and getting the instruments out can calm it down. If everyone’s a bit sleepy you can use it to wake everyone up a bit, so it’s just diverse in the way that we’re able to use it. 

I think it’s been really good, getting the perspective from the musicians and music therapists, because they’ve got a different take on things, and then obviously us having input as well, because we’ve got the relationship and bond with the residents. Them bringing their expertise and all of us working together, I just think it’s created something really good and it just shows that everyone can learn something new and you can improve on what you already have. I just think that, I’ve said this before, I think this should be something that all activity coordinators get to experience, and I think even as a training tool for if someone’s going to start a job as an activity coordinator, I think as like base training this would be perfect, because I think it sort of brings your confidence out as well. Then with the online training sessions I think it’s been really good getting on and speaking to everyone every week because we are sort of isolated in a way in our little home, and we know what’s going on with us, but being able to go on and speak to everyone and see that what we are seeing resonates with them, or maybe they’ve had a different experience. It’s just nice to be able to give that feedback and get feedback from everyone else. So I think the online training has been good.

We’re probably going to do them twice a week, I would say. Maybe one at the start of the week and one at the end of the week. I’m thinking of maybe having, like, at the start of the week, having a bit more of a chilled session. At the end of the week, for your sort of Friday afternoon, we usually have a bit of a party type afternoon anyway, but I think that’s what we’re planning to do anyway. It’s good having the instruments and now we’ve got the further training sessions. I think it’s good that even though the face-to-face sessions are ending, we’ve still got a few more training sessions just to get more feedback and maybe take about how our sessions are going and if there is anything else we can do better or get ideas from everyone else. So we’re definitely planning on continuing it and hoping it all goes well. 

I think if I could say anything about it, I just think it's been life-changing for everyone who’s took part in it. I think every single person has taken something from this experience. Whether it’s the music therapists, the musicians, everyone’s gained something no matter what level their career or anything that they’re at. The families that have been their family members do things that they would never have done before the sessions and it’s just lovely. Every week when we get the instruments out, the residents are so happy and it’s just been amazing. I think we feel lucky as a home that we’ve been able to experience it and to keep it going. 

I just feel like Manchester Camerata and Music in Mind, what they’re doing for care home, for residents, for everyone, the different that ‘s having to residents’ lives who have dementia, it’s just enriching their lives and I think it’s just amazing and it should be in all care homes. And I think as well, I think it’s just got so much potential, like I think it’s got more potential than people realise. I think it can make such a difference and I hope that it ends up just going around the whole country, because it’s something, especially for care homes and activities and things like that. I think sometimes it can be a bit the same thing all the time, but with this it’s just given us this opportunity to open it up for everybody and it’s really exciting. It’s not the last we’ve seen of it.