Cinnamon Care Homes Receive the First ‘Take Note Music in Care’ Bronze Awards from University of Roehampton
Representatives from six Cinnamon Care Collection care homes were the first in the country to receive Take Note Music in Care bronze awards, in recognition of meeting a new standard created by the University of Roehampton relating to the power of music in dementia care.
The awards are an extension of a collaborative and successful pilot project between the University of Roehampton and Cinnamon Care Collection called Take Note, which launched in 2024 focusing on the benefits of music for older adults in care settings, particularly those living with dementia.
Professor Adam Ockelford and Senior Researcher Dr Fi Costa from the University of Roehampton led the study, created the awards, and presented them to the recipients at a wonderful awards ceremony at Eden Court care home in Battersea.
Professor Adam Ockelford said, “Our Take Note research resulted in the creation of a set of resources that feature 100 music-based ideas for carers to use with older people and those living with dementia. Building on this, we established the Take Note Music in Care bronze, silver and gold awards to create a national Quality Standards scheme for dementia care providers, using the Take Note resources as a basis, in line with CQC best practice. We have launched these with Cinnamon Care Collection, a recognised centre of excellence in dementia care, and hope that other care providers will want to roll out these accreditations, enabling those living with dementia to reap the benefits of the power of music to awaken old skills, enable the learning of new ones, and rekindle memories.”
To achieve the bronze award, care home providers had to provide evidence of implementing a number of the Take Note ideas over a four-month period. This included enabling at least five residents to have playlists of favourite music that they can access, carers singing songs with at least five residents every day for fun and to help communication, and giving at least one resident the opportunity to learn or re-learn an instrument. Instilling sound queues was also considered an important part of the programme to help residents anticipate an activity, for example, sounding a small gong to indicate that it is time for lunch or shaking a tambourine when a group music session is about to start.
Geoff Pride, Wellbeing & Lifestyle Manager, Cinnamon Care Collection said, “We are always trying to push boundaries in the use of music in our care homes to help to spark residents’ memories and encourage movement and mental stimulation. It has been a real honour to work in partnership with Professor Adam Ockelford and Dr Fi Costa from the University of Roehampton, and for Cinnamon Care Collection care homes to have been involved in the pilot programme for their national roll out.
“The Take Note Music in Care bronze award has led to a huge amount of enjoyment and engagement for residents, team members, residents’ family members, and members of the local community. All six of our care homes who took part in the award passed with flying colours, impressing the judges (Professor Adam Ockelford and Dr Fi Costa) with their passion and commitment to the project and the many wonderful examples shown through video evidence of the power of music in relation to dementia care. We are now looking at rolling out the award to other care homes in our group.”
