Cher Jimenez
Music and giggles will mix as Royal Freemasons Moe starts a weekly inter-generational activity and music therapy program to connect the young, the old and the in-between.
The program, which will be held on Wednesdays from July 17, will be run by Carousel Music Therapy to promote positive social connections among children and adults.
“One unique thing about the program is it provides older adults connection with the younger generation which is not necessarily available to them when they are in residential aged care” Carousel Music Therapy founder and managing director Imogen Rees said.
Ms Rees developed and ran the inter-generational music program after working as a music therapist in both aged care and early childhood settings in 2011.
She said music therapy helped older people remember particular moments in their life as memory normally declined with age and dementia.
“It’s the earlier memories that are often preserved … music from childhood can really help bring back memories and prompt memories,” Ms Rees said.
She said the program also allowed children to connect with the older generation as distance from family members could mean kids missed out on developing meaningful relationships with adult relatives.
“Before it was more common for families to move around the corner and children grew up with grandparents and great grandparents. There’s less of that these days,” she said.
The weekly sessions will run for an hour with participants using musical instruments and multi-sensory activities. Parents are also encouraged to join in the activities.
The free weekly inter-generational activity will be held at the Royal Freemasons Moe facility starting on July 17 from 10.15am-11.15am.
Families who have children from babies to preschool age are encouraged to register via carouselmusictherapy.com.au/register to join in the activities.
The program, which will be held on Wednesdays from July 17, will be run by Carousel Music Therapy to promote positive social connections among children and adults.
“One unique thing about the program is it provides older adults connection with the younger generation which is not necessarily available to them when they are in residential aged care” Carousel Music Therapy founder and managing director Imogen Rees said.
Ms Rees developed and ran the inter-generational music program after working as a music therapist in both aged care and early childhood settings in 2011.
She said music therapy helped older people remember particular moments in their life as memory normally declined with age and dementia.
“It’s the earlier memories that are often preserved … music from childhood can really help bring back memories and prompt memories,” Ms Rees said.
She said the program also allowed children to connect with the older generation as distance from family members could mean kids missed out on developing meaningful relationships with adult relatives.
“Before it was more common for families to move around the corner and children grew up with grandparents and great grandparents. There’s less of that these days,” she said.
The weekly sessions will run for an hour with participants using musical instruments and multi-sensory activities. Parents are also encouraged to join in the activities.
The free weekly inter-generational activity will be held at the Royal Freemasons Moe facility starting on July 17 from 10.15am-11.15am.
Families who have children from babies to preschool age are encouraged to register via carouselmusictherapy.com.au/register to join in the activities.
