Bespoke Memory Soundscapes

‘Memory-Scapes’ 

 

~ Evoking memories with the Sense of Sound

 

I create what I call audio ‘Memory-Scapes' for people with Dementia whether that be early or late stage.

 

Sound triggers intense recollections from our past, evoking strong emotions and memories from seemingly forgotten experiences.

Hearing a favourite piece of music, familiar sounds or voices from our past can bring recollection and feeling flooding back.

 

I design bespoke, highly individual Memory-Scapes by recording the sounds and ambiences of home, of favourite places and beloved people, all in broadcast quality.

 

I interweave these layers of sound, very gently and very warmly: favourite music, favourite places, poetry, literary extracts, family history, letters, messages of love in the familiar voices of close family or good friends, sometimes (if possible) in the subjects’ own voice, creating a highly individual Memory-Scape of a life and a time, evoking very personal memories of happiness and contentment.

 

The Beginnings of an Idea….

 

I became interested in this quite by chance when I noticed that my mother, who had Dementia for 14 years, 9 of which were spent in a care home - and long after she failed to recognise any of the family or speak to us - responded with startling clarity to a phone-video of my daughter’s pony trotting across a stable yard. The clip-clop sound of hooves grabbed her attention, she locked onto the phone screen with a broad smile and said quite lucidly “I used to have a pony that colour”. And of course horses had played a big part in her life. 

 

I began to play her more sounds recorded at home along with her favourite songs and I noticed that although she had otherwise stopped speaking she sung along perfectly to the songs and listened intently to the sounds of home; she was calmed by it.

 

I made a compilation of the old tunes, inter-cut with familiar sounds of home and some favourite places, a street market in Southern Italy, a place she had loved. I included favourite poems read by her grandchildren, they sang a song or two and I recorded some recollections of shared memories from my brother and sister.

 

Whenever I played this soundscape to her she became quiet and attentive, smiled a lot and occasionally said the word ‘Lovely’ when listening to the sounds I’d recorded in our cottage garden. She had been a keen gardener and the summer sounds of the garden, the birdsong and the buzz of bees gave her some peace I think because she had become quite ’shouty’. 

I would leave the soundscape on repeat loop in her room for an hour or two at a time.

 

A friend heard about what I was doing and commissioned me to make a ‘Memory-Scape’ for her stepfather, Peter. 

Again it consisted of the familiar sounds of loved ones' voices recalling important family memories, grandchildren reading stories and favourite poems, the ambient sounds of his garden in summer and of a harbour in France which had been a cherished holiday destination, the ticking of a grandfather clock outside his bedroom at home, and of course favourite music from a long life - and to be honest I realised the content possibilities are endless.

 

And I thought “There’s something in this…” 

 

I researched ‘Sound and Memory’ and found that sound, like the sense of smell, can evoke and stimulate specific memories because the areas of the brain that process sound are closely connected to those that store personal memories.

I believe that as well as providing comfort and familiarity this sense may also preserve some lingering connection with those faded memories.

 

I’ve done 7 or 8 Memory-Scapes to date and now I’m trying to gain some wider attention for it. The idea is gaining a lot of interest.

I believe it has value - not only providing solace as memory declines but also for people who may have just been diagnosed with the onset of Dementia and who want to retain their memories for as long as possible, to preserve them not only for themselves but for their family and friends.

 

Please get in touch if this interests you, I am delighted to tell you more and explain the process in more detail.

 

You can call me on 07969 992129 anytime.