Playlist for Life, Harnessing the Power of Music in Dementia Care

That the Parliament celebrates the success of charity, Playlist for Life, which was founded in 2013 by the Scottish writer and broadcaster, Sally Magnusson, following the death of her mother, Mamie Baird, in 2012; considers that, during Mamie’s eight years of living with dementia, Sally discovered that music had an incredible power to unlock memories but that its impact was not widely understood by families living in the UK; understands that this concept is supported by over 20 years of scientific research that demonstrates that listening to a personal playlist can make living with dementia easier and happier by bringing about reductions in the use of psychotropic medication, use of restraints, stress and distress and wandering; notes that Playlist for Life provides free training and materials to community organisations so that they can establish “help points” to spread the power of music locally and advise families on how to create their own personal playlists that relate to a person’s life story; further notes that 23 establishments, including care homes and NHS centres across Scotland have completed Playlist for Life training and are now incorporating playlists into their care provision, and wishes Playlist for Life every success in continuing to raise awareness of the power of music, in establishing their network of help points across Scotland and the UK, and training more healthcare professionals to harness the power of music in a care setting.