Blue Haven Care is asking people to donate their old iPod shuffles as part of their music therapy program for their residents.
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Recreational activities officer Francine Golding said the Personalised Music Program was proving a big hit with residents.
“This involves talking to the residents and their family members about music that makes them happy, maybe songs that they once danced to," Ms Golding said.
“We also talk about their first musical experiences, the singers and groups they like and concerts they might have attended.”
Residents using the program have a wide variety of musical tastes.
Most popular are Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble, Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Edith Piaf, The Beatles, Peter Allen, Simon & Garfunkel, Elvis and Neil Diamond.
There are also requests for show tunes, hymns and classical music.
Ms Golding said the iPod shuffles were ideal, being small and easy to use, however they are no longer being manufactured by Apple and are not available.
“We’re asking people who have moved on to bigger iPods or even iPhones to donate their ‘shuffles’ to the program,” she said.
“Please have a rummage through your shelves and cupboards to see if you have an iPod shuffle that you no longer use.”
As well as proving popular, the Personal Music Program taps into the health benefits of listening to music.
“Music therapy has been used in recent years to help with a range of conditions, including autism and depression,” Ms Golding said.
“Importantly music therapy has been found to reduce symptoms of dementia such as agitation, improving moods and behaviour.”
Donated iPods can be taken to Blue Haven, 2 Havilah Place Kiama.
The Personalised Music Program was originally established as an activity of the Dementia-friendly Kiama Project and is another example of the sustained impact the project has had in supporting people living with dementia to live purposeful and connected lives.