Waltzing, Hand Jiving and Plenty of Laughter: Music and Movement at Lear House
There are some mornings at Lear House when you can hear the fun before you see it. This was one of those mornings. Caroline from Popcats Music Time returned for another of her Music and Movement sessions, and within minutes the lounge was filled with singing, clapping, the rattle of tambourines and a great deal of laughter.
Music and Movement has become one of the most eagerly awaited activities in our weekly programme, and it is easy to understand why. Caroline has a wonderful gift for reading a room. She knows when to lift the energy with something upbeat and when to slow things down for a gentler, more reflective moment. Every session is different, and every session brings something new out of the group.
From the Waltz to the Hand Jive
This particular session took our residents right across the decades. We began with a waltz, that steady three beat rhythm that so many of our residents grew up dancing to at local halls and family weddings. Some were on their feet, some kept time from their chairs, and everybody was part of it.
Then came the hand jive, and the mood shifted entirely. Suddenly the room was all rhythm and rock and roll, hands clapping, slapping and crossing in time with the beat. It is a wonderful exercise for coordination and upper body movement, and it is also enormously good fun. The concentration on people’s faces gave way to broad grins as the sequence clicked into place.
We danced, we sang, and by the end nobody was in any doubt that they had had a proper workout.
Making Music Together
No Music and Movement session at Lear House would be complete without percussion. Out came the instruments, and residents took up shakers, tambourines and drums to play along.
There is something particularly special about a group making music together rather than simply listening. It is participation rather than performance. Nobody needs previous musical experience, nobody is asked to do anything they are not comfortable with, and everybody contributes to the sound the group creates. For residents who may find conversation tiring or difficult, joining in with a rhythm offers a way of taking part that needs no words at all.
Why Music and Movement Matters
Sessions like these are a joy to be part of, but they are also doing a great deal of good beneath the surface.
Gentle physical activity. Seated dancing, reaching, clapping and rhythmic movement all support flexibility, circulation and coordination. Because it is set to music, it rarely feels like exercise.
Memory and recognition. Familiar songs have a remarkable ability to reach past the difficulties that can come with dementia. A tune from someone’s youth can bring back a place, a person or an occasion with real clarity, and often prompts residents to share stories that might otherwise stay untold.
Mood and wellbeing. Singing and moving to music lift the spirits. The atmosphere in the home after a session is noticeably brighter, and that lift tends to last well into the rest of the day.
Social connection. Music brings people together. Residents who might not otherwise spend time in one another’s company find themselves side by side, laughing at the same moment and sharing the same experience. Friendships at Lear House have grown out of mornings just like this one.
About Caroline and Popcats Music Time
Caroline runs Popcats Music Time, based in Prenton, and has become a familiar and very welcome face at Lear House. Her sessions are inclusive by design, adaptable to whoever is in the room on the day, and delivered with genuine warmth. Our residents look forward to her visits, and the team here does too.
We are delighted that Music and Movement is a regular fixture in our activities calendar, and we are already looking forward to the next one.
Part of a Full and Varied Programme
Music and Movement sits alongside a wide range of activities at Lear House, from Knit and Natter and Pamper Afternoons to visits from local entertainers, therapy dogs and children from nearby nurseries and childminding settings. Our activities programme is built around connection, creativity and enjoyment, and residents are always encouraged to take part in whatever appeals to them.