DEMENTIA patients at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital will benefit from live music courtesy of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

The BSO’s award-winning Music for a While scheme has arrived at the trust thanks to joint funding by the orchestra and Bournemouth Hospital Charity, with sponsorship Health-On-line Careers and Driving Miss Daisy Ringwood.

The partnership is another example of the orchestra’s roll-out of the successful instrumental music-making programme for dementia patients on hospital wards across the South West.

Each year, more than 2,000 Royal Bournemouth Hospital patients have dementia or dementia-like symptoms.

BSO associate Neil Valentine has been visiting the trust since March bringing live music directly to patient’s bedsides and to day rooms where groups make instrumental music and singing together. He provides an interactive musical workshop for the patients, which sees them singing and creating verses, playing along to different songs with maracas or bells.

He said: "As an instrumentalist I see the need for live music in our hospitals.

"It normalises moments, creating space for people to feel normal again without having to worry about language. It creates connections between families and visitors as conversations spring up around musical likes and dislikes.

"Atmospheres are transformed when a ward becomes a concert hall, and everyone feels the change. Nurses dance and patients smile.”

Neil also performs for the patients, playing a variety of music from Tchaikovsky to Frank Sinatra. Not only does the music provide entertainment but it helps to rekindle memories.

Dementia and delirium nurse specialist Lauren Daughtrey said: “This is a fantastic initiative by the BSO and we are grateful for the support from two local businesses that has helped make this happen.

“The patients and their visitors enjoyed a range of pieces played by Neil Valentine at their bedside.”

The BSO will work with the hospital’s specialist dementia team to deliver 24 interactive sessions over the two years.

The orchestra's work was recognised at the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friendly Awards in November 2017, where it was awarded Dementia Friendly Organisation of the Year. It was also invited by patron HRH Princess Alexandra to celebrate its work with a performance in 2018 at Buckingham Palace.

To find out more about the Music for a While project, please visit BSOlive.com/boost