Music therapy
enhanced relationships within the care community – all valuable materials for CQC inspections.
Responsive care through musical expression The ‘responsive’ domain focuses on organising services to meet individual needs. Music offers a consistent channel for expression and connection for people living with dementia, whose needs may change rapidly and whose ability to communicate those needs may be restricted. The quality statement on ‘Person-centred
care’ emphasises partnership in care decisions. Music provides a medium through which
residents can express preferences when words fail. Similarly, the statement on ‘Listening
to and involving people’ highlights the importance of feedback channels – something music naturally facilitates. As one activities coordinator noted: “A lot of resources have come out of the
project for both those who took part directly and others who are picking it up because they see the benefits of trying it out. So, for example, if someone is distressed, we
know we have something we can try out, something in our ‘care toolkit’, something we can act on. It’s really easy, it doesn’t take effort or time and it’s readily available.” This observation highlights a key
advantage of music interventions: their flexibility and accessibility. Unlike many care interventions, the seamless integration of music into daily care routines does not require extensive resources and can be initiated simply once staff receive initial guidance and support to develop their confidence and give them starting points. Care providers can show responsiveness
by creating personalised music playlists for residents, documenting how musical preferences influence broader care planning, and presenting case studies illustrating how music has addressed individual needs in challenging care situations.
Well-led organisations embrace musical innovation The final SAF domain – ‘well-led’ – examines leadership, management, and governance. While this might seem the furthest removed from musical interventions, innovative music programmes can actually provide
compelling evidence of forward-thinking leadership. The quality statement on ‘Learning,
improvement and innovation’ emphasises continuous learning and creative approaches to delivering equality of experience and outcomes. Implementing structured music programmes demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to innovation in person- centred care. Furthermore, music programmes
provide distinctive leadership development opportunities within care teams. As one manager at OSJCT Monkscroft Care Centre noted: “It has turned our staff into leaders. It has
allowed the team to come out of themselves and show their strengths.” This comment highlights how music
provides opportunities for staff at all levels to showcase abilities that may not surface during standard care duties. Care assistants who are often quiet in team meetings can excel when leading musical activities, uncovering leadership potential that can be nurtured. From a governance perspective, care
providers that invest in music programmes demonstrate a commitment to evidence-
Life Made Better DEMENTIA FRIENDLY BATHROOMS
AKW are passionate about improving the quality of life for care home residents. For over 40 years our practical, stylish and reliable adapted bathrooms have made a positive difference.
www.akw-ltd.co.uk | Telephone: 01905 823 298 | Email:
sales@akw-ltd.co.uk January 2026
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com 41
Download our Guide to Creating Dementia Friendly Bathrooms
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
