Music therapy (FOI)

​Request

Is music used as a form of therapy in Jersey? If so, where is it used?

I'd like to know whether it's used in (for example) mental health, care homes (or with older people with conditions like dementia), hospital / or for people / children with long term illness.

Response

Ongoing Care (Mental Health) & Sandybrook – Long term care (Nursing Home)

Musical Activities are carried out by the Activities coordinators, who also arrange for ‘Arts in Health’ to come up to the units to perform for residents on a quarterly basis. This is provided by various performers from the UK and locally.

Musical activities are used in an informal way, with music and singing an integral part of our café, a weekly event run collaboratively with Jersey Alzheimer’s Association, at Rosewood House. This is used in the context of reminiscence, repetition and memory. In addition, musicians visit Sandybrook and perform for the residents, however this is not formal Music Therapy.

Education

The Jersey Music Service previously employed a Music Therapist delivering support to children with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties at Mont à l’Abbé School. The Music Therapist employed has retired. The position is currently vacant.