Tambourines, Abba songs, keyboards, and the formation of a new choir in a Hamilton care home have seen a reduction in the number of residents tripping and falling and other improvements to quality of life.

Since the introduction of music therapy at Abbeydale Court Care Home on Strathaven Road , the number of falls and anxiety-related behaviour by residents has reduced at the 109-bed luxury home.

The service has also seen increased levels of engagement and social communication between residents themselves and with the care team.

Grace Sloan, manager of the Abbey Healthcare home, said: “It’s quite remarkable what the introduction of music therapy has done for our residents.

A music therapy session underway at the home.

placeholder image — A music therapy session underway at the home.

“We’ve seen positive impacts on every resident involved in the music sessions from simple things like them joining in and chatting with other residents to others who have stopped falling over.

“The sessions have started to build relationships which is wonderful for residents’ wellbeing. We can remember song lyrics and music long after we lose the ability to hold a conversation so as well as having an enjoyable time, the music also empowers the residents as they can sing along and feel they’ve achieved something.

“The impact of that has been considerable for one resident in particular who used to go around the home turning on taps full flow a few times a week. She has completely stopped this behaviour since she started singing and joined the choir.”

The weekly sessions are being delivered by Kirsty Stirling from Nordoff and Robbins, the UK’s largest music therapy charity.

Trainee music therapist Kirsty Stirling from Nordoff and Robbins.

Kirsty, herself a care worker who is training to be a music therapist, said: “Singing and music have always been close to my heart and have helped me throughout my life.

“When I studied music at the University of Aberdeen, I learned about the impact of music on the brain and how it can support health and wellbeing. Studying the link between music and health sparked my interest in music therapy.

“The residents are amazing and have so much to offer both in and out of music therapy sessions. Every resident is unique, so each session is tailored to their needs and abilities. I facilitate sessions for one resident who loves writing songs, which we work on and perform together for staff. Another is non-verbal and has an amazing sense of rhythm, which he can demonstrate on various instruments.

“There is one resident I observed vocalising loudly, swaying in her chair, and appearing to struggle to interact with the wider group. I found that her cries were very musical. In her first session, she cried out as she had in the communal areas; I didn’t try to stop her but instead joined her vocalising, singing ‘ah.’ She appeared surprised at first but smiled, continuing to vocalise while maintaining eye contact. As our song developed, she began to sing about her life and family.”

She added: “There is often a focus on people in care settings and what they can’t do – our music therapy is about celebrating what they can do.”

The sessions have proved so popular and successful that Kirsty is now also developing a home choir, with more and more residents joining in and singing everything from Beatles classics to sea shanties.

Grace added: “We’re always looking at new and exciting ways to engage and support our residents. The positive links between music and wellbeing are many but as the residents are so engaged both mentally and physically during Kirsty’s visits they sleep better which contributes to improvements in their balance and overall wellbeing.

“It’s been fantastic to see some of our quieter residents, with some reluctance at first, get involved and then go on to join the choir. I’ve watched residents who very rarely speak have conversations with each other between songs. We’re already planning a concert at some point.”