Dagenham Memory Service

Music therapy allows for wider social experiences, supporting wellness through creativity with others

Dagenham Memory Service

Dagenham Memory Service is a memory clinic and care home within the North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT). The clinic works with people with different forms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, at various stages of the condition.

We began working together in 2017, with music therapy sessions delivered in group and one-to-one settings, both in person and online, providing a person-centred, supportive environment for clients. 

One of our clients at Dagenham Memory Services was a gifted musician living with dementia. He had been an accomplished drummer and had played in a band. However, after his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s, he was unable to enjoy many of the things he used to do, including music. Music therapy gave him the space to reconnect with his passion. It allowed him to communicate through music when words failed him. 

It makes me feel good about myself and lifts my spirits.

Client at Dagenham Memory Services

Other clients have talked about how music provides an escape and offers something genuinely rewarding. It’s not just the clients who benefit – with the support of our therapists, staff at Dagenham Memory Service have formed their own music group, giving them a space to come together and celebrate music.

We produced this story in partnership with Dagenham Memory Service.