How does music help your health?

Your views and experiences of music and wellbeing could help tune up Government policy.

That’s because people across the UK are invited to take part in a major survey to show how music can play a more vital role in health.

UK Music and Music for Dementia have joined forces for the ‘Power of Music’ probe that is open to both individuals and organisations.

‘The Power of Music project will enable us to…bring about positive changes’

The survey will contribute findings to further talks with Government to enhance music’s role in health and wellbeing. Questions include:

– music’s role in improving care for those with psychological and physical conditions;
– barriers that might prevent greater partnership;
– what more could be done to support music in health and wellbeing in care.

UK Music and Music for Dementia want as many responses as possible before the survey closes on 30 June. The project followed talks in April when UK Music and Music for Dementia brought together Government ministers, music industry and healthcare leaders, charities and other stakeholders to discuss the benefits to health that music can bring.

In recent years there has been increasing evidence to show the power that music can have in supporting those with a variety of conditions including – dementia, depression, autism – and those needing end-of-life support. According to the British Phonographic Industry’s yearbook ‘All About The Music 2021’:

• 94 per cent said music helped lift their mood during lockdown;
• 73 per cent felt more able to manage anxiety levels thanks to listening to music during the pandemic.

The ‘Creative Health: The Arts For Health And Wellbeing’ report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing said music therapy reduced agitation and the need for medication in 67 per cent of people with dementia.

‘The Power of Music project will enable us to gather views from across the sector, develop clear recommendations for what needs to be done, and bring about positive changes,’ said UK Music Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin.

‘We have an opportunity…to make music more central in our lives’

‘We have an opportunity now, provided by Government, to think and act together from across sectors, about what we can do together to make music more central in our lives to support our health and wellbeing,’ said Music for Dementia Campaign Director Grace Meadows.

UK Music represents the collective interests of the UK’s music industry. Music for Dementia was set up in response to a report exploring the existing provision of music for people with dementia. The survey can be found here.

Our own CEO Mairi Johnstone wrote a special report on the study by Music for Dementia back in 2018. You can read about Mairi’s findings here.