Introduction
In this episode, I’m talking with Bev Foster, Founding Director of Room 217, a Canadian social enterprise that uses music to change the culture of care. Bev started the organisation with her husband Rob, after experiencing first-hand the power of music for her dying father. It now provides music training for care staff as well as research-informed products like conversation cards, music books, and CDs, so that music can become an integral part of the day-to-day life of the home.
You can listen now below, or on Spotify (search for the name) and iTunes.
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What’s in this episode?
What’s in this episode?
We talk about:
- Bev’s personal experience of music and end of life care
- The two questions that inspired her to start Room 217
- The initial creation of music tools for carers
- The importance of relationships and the move into training for care workers
- The three-pronged training model: from building confidence to realising an initiative and becoming a music care advocate
- Working in the UK with Derby-based Opus Music
- Evaluating impact: anecdotes, statistically validation, standardised care assessments and cost benefit analysis
- 217 resources for musicians and carers: free Music in Care webinars, training programme and online studio
And we finish with three tips to help carers begin to use music to support wellbeing and care.
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