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Personal Playlist

For so many people, music is their first love-and it lasts across a lifetime. So it's not surprising that for a person to be able to tell the story of their life through music, can unlock memories, strengthen their sense of self and connect both to their stories and their loved ones.

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It makes collating personal playlists so much more than the music. It is particularly helpful for people living with dementia. Personally meaningful music can unlock induviduality, stimulate conversation, support family members and increase social connections.

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A personal playlist keeps on giving-both to the person concerned and to everyone involved in their circles of care and support.

 

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GETTING STARTED is easy. Head over to Playlist for Life and explore their step-by-step guidance to creating a personal playlist from their downloadable resources. We have attached three of their most popular publications here and in our PDF library.

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DON'T BE PUT OFF if you think you don't have the technical know-how to do this. Just take your time and follow the steps outlined here:

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1. Create a list of favourite soundtracks for yourself or through prompting conversations and memories with the person concerned.

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2. Use the resources offered by Playlist for

Life and BBC Music Memories to access

music / sounds by decade or by

theme (you can refer to the 100 Years Book of top 100 tunes in the UK from 1915-2015) or choose by music genre / style to help you 'name that tune.'

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3. Decide how and when to listen e.g. how to stream or download the chosen tracks.

 

We can advise with all of this, including compiling complimentary playlists for you online, so please get in touch. You provide the list, we can do the rest!

 

Name That Tune: If you are compiling a playlist for the first time, we suggest that up to 12 - 15 tracks offers a good selection - either for an individual or a group. Use the Name That Tune template attached here to list your choices if you find it helpful. 

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Name that Tune
My Soundtracks
Playlist
Conversation Starters

This is a brilliant resource of music and radio archive. Music Memories can guide you to create a playlist and print it so you have a record of a particular selection. Memory Radio has a radio archive decade by decade to create an audio experience for people living with dementia.

There are currently three 90-minute programmes covering the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Each programme has an accompanying downloadable

Activity Sheet to prompt discussion.

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