Andrew Cohen House Care Home

We all recognise the value of music for people with dementia. It breaks down barriers and allows greater ways to communicate

Andrew Cohen House Care Home

Andrew Cohen House Care Home is a 59-bed nursing and residential care home in Birmingham, which has been charity-run since 1993. The home provides care for residents with a multitude of conditions, prominent among which is dementia. A wide range of of activities is offered to residents in order to support their needs.

Since 2022, when our partnership with Andrew Cohen House Care Home began, these activities have included music therapy. Music therapy has given residents opportunities to connect with each other, as well as to enjoy new experiences.

Music breaks down barriers and allows greater ways to communicate. It can relieve the anxiety and stress that builds up when people with dementia struggle to understand or express their feelings. Just watching their faces as they listen gives us all a heartwarming feeling.

Both group and one-to-one music therapy sessions have given residents of the home a regular source of enjoyment. Some engage by tapping a foot along to the music, others join in wholeheartedly with the singing. The joy of these residents has extended to their family members, with carers speaking of “seeing the delight on the faces of relatives”.

Music therapy sessions encourage connection among residents, with some leaving their own room to share the moment with others. Many have grown in confidence as a result. Participating in music making has given them experiences they wouldn’t otherwise have enjoyed – and they’ve done so alongside friends.

We produced this story in partnership with Andrew Cohen House Care Home, where we delivered music therapy services from 2022 to 2024.