September is World Alzheimer's Month, a global opportunity to raise awareness of dementia and recognise the millions of people, families and communities affected by it. It is also a chance to highlight innovative approaches that help people living with dementia stay connected, active and engaged in their communities.
Since 2023, the Power of Music Fund has supported local groups and organisations using music to improve the lives of people living with dementia. What began as a small grants programme for dementia choirs and singing groups has grown into a nationwide initiative supporting more than 200 organisations across England. Funding has helped deliver more than 8,300 activities, from singing groups and music cafés to live performances and sensory sessions, creating opportunities for connection, creativity and wellbeing.
Photo credit: Come Singing
Supporting Diverse Communities
Our grantees deliver a wide variety of music and singing sessions tailored to local needs. Alongside music-making, many projects create opportunities for participants to socialise, dance, play instruments and take part in performances.
Many organisations have prioritised physical and sensory accessibility, ensuring people with a wide range of abilities can participate and benefit. This diversity of provision, combined with strong local relationships, helps make these groups successful and deeply connected to their communities.
The Impact of Music
Grantees report a wide range of positive outcomes for people living with dementia, including increased confidence and self-esteem, reduced agitation and anxiety, improved wellbeing, and stronger social connections. Attendance and participation have also increased across many projects.
One grantee shared:
"Non-verbal attendees have come alive and active during the music activities. One gentleman who has complex memory loss following a severe stroke, becomes alive and, 'a demon on the drums'."
Carers also experienced significant benefits, including reduced stress and loneliness, opportunities for respite, and improved relationships with the people they care for. Many reported developing a more strengths-based approach to dementia care.
Another grantee reflected:
"Singing and playing percussion instruments helps residents connect with familiar songs and memories. Residents smile, sing and laugh together, while staff see an immediate lift in mood. The positive atmosphere is felt throughout the home."
Building Sustainable Support
The benefits of multi-year funding are already becoming clear. Many organisations have been able to move beyond standalone music sessions and embed music more fully throughout their dementia support programmes.
As one organisation explained:
"Over the past year, we have moved from offering music as a standalone activity to fully integrating it within all groups, making it a core part of how we support wellbeing, communication and connection."
Photo credit: Darnall Dementia Group
Working with Health Services
Strong links with health and care services are helping more people access music-based support. Eighty-eight per cent of grantees reported engagement with health systems, including referrals from social prescribing link workers and other healthcare professionals.
Successful approaches include building relationships with healthcare teams, raising awareness of services, developing dedicated partnership roles and creating shared referral pathways. However, organisations also reported challenges such as limited capacity within health services, staff turnover and complex systems that can make partnership working more difficult.
Reaching Under-Represented Groups
Grantees have successfully engaged a range of under-represented communities, including people from ethnic minority backgrounds, rural communities, people experiencing financial hardship and those who are not accessing other sources of support. Projects have also successfully reached people with early-onset dementia and male carers.
Key enablers include providing affordable or free activities, offering transport support, working closely with community partners and creating welcoming, inclusive environments.
One of the Power of Music’s grantees in Bristol: The Chinese Community Wellbeing Society
The Chinese Community Wellbeing Society film
Our Centres of Excellence
Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia
Hosted by Manchester Camerata, the Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia delivers evidence-based programmes including Music in Mind and Singing for the Brain across Greater Manchester. During its first two years of funding, the programme established 40 music cafés, significantly increasing access to support for people living with dementia and their carers. An evaluation due in 2027 will help build further evidence of the programme's impact and potential cost savings for the NHS.
Centre of Excellence for Training in Music and Dementia
Led by Age UK Hertfordshire, this Centre of Excellence is developing innovative approaches to improve access to music therapy in care homes. Through the Power of Music: Music in Herts Dementia Care programme, health and social care staff are being supported to integrate music into everyday dementia care.
Early findings suggest that embedding therapeutic music into daily care can improve residents’ wellbeing, strengthen communication and emotional connection, and reduce agitation. Staff have reported greater confidence, improved morale and a more resilient workforce, helping create sustainable change within care homes.
Looking Ahead
As we mark World Alzheimer's Month, the achievements of our grantees continue to demonstrate the unique power of music to bring joy, connection and confidence to people living with dementia.
The success of the Power of Music Fund is built on collaboration. We are incredibly grateful to The Utley Foundation, Arts Council England, The Rayne Foundation and Music for All, alongside the many delivery partners whose passion and commitment have made this impact possible. Together, they are helping to transform lives, strengthen communities and create lasting change for people affected by dementia.
