New dementia program piloted by Canberra Symphony

The pilot program of Music and Memory combines the individualised experience of other dementia programs with a live concert, ensuring socialisation and stimulation.

Affecting almost half a million Australians, dementia – which is most commonly caused by Alzheimer’s disease – impacts an individual’s memory, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday tasks.

While more common after 65 years of age, dementia is not a normal part of aging.

Significantly, those parts of the brain which process and respond to music are often among the last to be adversely affected by dementia.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts