To the beat of their own drum – music therapy a hit at Banbury care home

A care home in Banbury hit the right note with a special workshop.

Residents at Care UK’s Highmarket House, on North Bar Place, enjoyed an African drumming session led by Warwickshire-based organisation In2Cultures.

 

The workshop featured a variety of instruments for residents to try, including African djembe drums, and included hand coordination exercises. As part of the session, residents and team members also had the opportunity to tap their feet to African-inspired pieces.

Barbara Cook, a resident at Highmarket House, said: “I really enjoyed it, it makes you feel young again. It’s the kind of music that just makes you want to join in.”

Francesca Cowley, Home Manager at Highmarket House, said: “We had a fantastic afternoon immersing ourselves in cultures many of us are unfamiliar with and testing our sense of rhythm using the djembe drums. 

“Music therapy has become more and more popular when supporting older people, especially those living with dementia, as it can tap into powerful memories and emotions while providing them with an alternate way to communicate. In addition to all these benefits, the In2Cultures workshop was also an opportunity to work on our coordination, which is an essential component of falls prevention – so it definitely was the perfect activity for us. 

“Judging by the smiles on everyone’s faces throughout the afternoon, the session was a hit – and we’re already looking forward to our next one.”

Highmarket House is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, dementia, nursing and short-term respite care. The home, which features 73 en-suite bedrooms, has been designed to enable its residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hairdressing salon and café.

For more information on Highmarket House, please contact Customer Relations Manager Daniel Worley on daniel.worley@careuk.com or call 01295 297 652.

For more general information, visit careuk.com/highmarket-house.