Introducing the ‘Friends of Music Helps’ Initiative

UK & India

Over the past five years, we have seen over 840 dedicated caregivers of people living with dementia enrol on our Music Helps training course. Today, we are launching an initiative to further acknowledge this commitment to using music to strengthen care: Music Helps Friends.

‘Friends of Music Helps’ will celebrate and champion the amazing managers and care providers that are actively investing in their teams by enrolling multiple staff onto our Music Helps course. Whether in the UK, India – or anywhere else – we want to give these settings recognition for embedding music into the culture of the care they provide.

Overall, the course left me inspired. I’m excited to explore more ways to use music to bring comfort, joy, and connection to people living with dementia.

Music Helps Participant, 2025

Why are we launching this initiative?

Caring for someone living with dementia can be hugely challenging. However motivated someone might be, we have seen that life can sometimes get in the way and not everyone that enrols on Music Helps is able to protect the time they need to complete their training. But we’ve noticed something significant…

When someone takes the course as part of a wider team within a care setting or organisation, they are 2.5 times more likely to complete it. This shows how learning does not happen in isolation. When colleagues work together with the backing of their managers, they are more able to share ideas, support one another, and embed new approaches into daily care. Music becomes part of the culture of a setting, rather than something used occasionally.

Since doing Music Helps, I started singing to my client and now she sings along, and hums along to every song. Her confidence has grown.

Music Heps Participant

Looking ahead

Beginning in Dementia Action Week, you’ll start to see us celebrating our first Friends of Music Helps, so stay tuned to find out more!

This initiative is being led by Zack, our training assistant, who identified the strong link between organisational enrolment and improved learner progress. His insights have helped shape an initiative that we hope will benefit both caregivers and the people they support.

Since joining the charity earlier this year, I’ve been touched and inspired about how integrating music into care practice can be extraordinarily beneficial for both caregivers and people living with dementia.

Listening to caregivers who have participated in Music Helps, I’ve heard how music can support communication, reduce anxiety, strengthen relationships, and bring moments of joy and connection into everyday life. I’m so excited to be a part of this initiative to give managers and care providers the recognition they deserve for their dedication to strengthening care with music.

Zack Morris-Jones, Training Assistant

Together, with our new ‘Friends of Music Helps’, we can create momentum across the sector, growing a community of caregivers who feel supported, motivated and committed to go above and beyond.

Find out more here: https://www.musicastherapy.org/our-training/music-helps/

or

Enrol now: https://musichelps.training/