Music key to older people's well-being
28 October 2009
A pioneering research project will explore how making music in groups has the power to enhance the quality of older people's lives.
The study, from the Institute of Education, London, will be the first large-scale examination of the potential of community music-making to contribute to older people's physical, social and mental well-being.
The Music for Life project will:
• investigate what prevents older people from participating in musical activities and how these barriers can be overcome
• explore the best ways of getting older people involved in musical activities
• examine the benefits of group music for older people and
• consider how leaders of musical activities can encourage older people to get involved in these and gain the most out of the experience.
Professor Susan Hallam, the lead researcher, says: "Music has proven benefits for health and well-being. It helps concentration, aids relaxation, can influence moods and emotions and brings a sense of togetherness when people play or sing in groups.
"Music has advantages for people of all ages, but there has been little research on how it can help older people in particular.
"Our study, which will involve up to 1,500 people in culturally diverse settings, aims to demonstrate the extent to which singing or playing musical instruments can bring all-round improvements to older people's lives."
The team will study three organisations that run community music projects for older people – the Silver Programme at the Sage Gateshead in Yorkshire, the Connect Project at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and the music department of the Westminster Adult Education Service.
Researchers will observe musical activities, interview participating groups and individuals and run comparison studies of groups of individuals involved in non-musical activities to see if music really does make a difference.
Professor Hallam concludes: "We hope our findings will identify the most effective ways to provide older people with access to musical activities so that investment in such services can be better focused."
Music for Life, launched in the government's Year of Music, is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.
Ends
Further information from James Russell, 020 7911 5556, j.russell@ioe.ac.uk
Notes for editors
About the case study sites:
The Silver Programme at the Sage Gateshead actively involves 500 people over 50 in an eclectic spread of music activities including singing of all kinds, steel pans, African drumming, guitars, recorder, folk ensemble, music theory and samba.
The Connect Project at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama runs community projects with people of all ages in east London. The projects focus on activities where participants create and perform music together, linking story-telling and reminiscing to creative music-making.
The music department of the Westminster Adult Education Service offers a range of community music activities for older people at all levels of expertise. The courses they offer specialise in singing, playing instruments, sound engineering and using sequencers, music theory and composing.
The research team consists of Susan Hallam, Andrea Creech and Anita Pincas from the Institute of Education, London, which is the principal centre of music education in the UK, and Helena Gaunt from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
The Institute of Education is a college of the University of London, specialising in teaching, research and consultancy in education and related areas of social science and professional practice. Last year's Research Assessment Exercise judged almost two-thirds of the work submitted by the IOE was internationally significant, and 35 per cent was regarded as "world leading".
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK's largest organisation for funding research on economic and social issues. It supports independent, high quality research which has an impact on business, the public sector and the third sector. The ESRC's planned total expenditure in 2009 – 10 is £204 million. At any one time, the ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and independent research institutes. More at www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk