Music and Memory

Music and MemoryUpper Sixth Formers Abigail Ramsey and Toby Brann have been working with two local nursing homes on an extraordinary and life-changing project looking at the effects of music on the memory. 
They spend two hours each week in the  homes, personalising play lists for the residents and working with the staff to ensure the music is right for each resident.  Personalised music provides a means of communication and self-expression when verbal language abilities are diminished.  One of the most moving moments was when Abi and Toby gave one of the advanced Alzheimer’s residents an iPod and headphones to listen to war time classics and she broke into song.  She was word perfect and her voice was beautiful and clear as she was transported back in time. 
Ardingly’s Careers and Work Experience Co-ordinator, Jessica Eustace, says: “When schools actively create a culture of service, they make education real, relevant and rewarding.  We are trying to prepare our students to become global citizens – enhancing skills they will need for life after Ardingly and work.”