Did you know that music has the power to awaken memories, reduce anxiety, and create meaningful moments for people living with dementia? Music therapy isn’t just entertainment; it’s a proven approach that improves well-being and strengthens relationships between individuals, families, and care providers.

In this episode of Voices in DREAM, Dr. Brendan Lamb, a lecturer in Creative Arts and Health, and Yashi dive into the role of music therapy in dementia care. They explore how rhythm, melody, and familiar songs can reach parts of the brain untouched by dementia and why this therapeutic tool is so powerful in respite settings.

Tune in to learn about:

• How music therapy supports memory, mood, and communication
• Why music is uniquely effective for people living with dementia
• Practical strategies for integrating music into respite and aged care services
• Real-life examples of how music brings joy and connection
• Tips for families and care workers to use music meaningfully at home and in care

If you work in aged care, respite, or support someone living with dementia, this episode will give you fresh inspiration and practical ideas.

Dr Brendan Lamb is a graduate from the University of Tasmania’s Conservatorium, having completed a PhD in Musicology, an Honours degree in Music Performance and a Grad Dip in Musicology. He has had more than 10 years of teaching experience coordinating, lecturing and tutoring for Creative Arts and Health, Music Theory and Sociohistorical context. His PhD thesis, ‘Old and New: How the Irish Folk Music Revival of the twentieth century revitalised and modified Irish music’, focused on the musical and cultural impact of the Irish folk music revival on Irish traditional music and the significance of key performers and ensembles in the progress of the Irish music tradition. His research interests include creative arts and neuroscience, Irish traditional music, jazz performance and history and ludo musicology. He has also published in Musicology Australia researching the use of music and varying stylistic elements to reinforce place and period in fantasy video games, and also Irish folk music of the mid-twentieth century.

Did you know that supporting someone to do things for themselves instead of doing it for them can boost their confidence, maintain dignity, and improve their overall wellbeing? That’s the power of reablement.

In this episode, Dr Claire O’Connor joins Yashi to explore how reablement supports older adults to maintain or regain their independence through meaningful, everyday tasks.

Dr Claire O'Connor is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Psychology, UNSW, a Conjoint Senior Research Fellow with NeuRA, Honorary Senior Research Fellow with HammondCare, and is also a registered occupational therapist. Claire leads a program of research focused on the translation and implementation of non-pharmacological interventions to improve dementia practice, focusing on reablement/rehabilitation, and maximising functioning, engagement and wellbeing in people living with dementia and their informal supporters. Combining her clinical training in occupational therapy and research skills, Claire is passionate about contributing to research that is meaningful to ageing populations and people impacted by dementia.

Tune in to learn about:

• What reablement really means and how it differs from traditional care
• Why promoting independence helps both physical and mental health
• Practical, everyday strategies for carers, families, and teams
• How to balance safety, support, and autonomy
• The long-term impact of reablement on confidence and quality of life

Whether you work in aged care, home care, or support someone living with dementia or physical decline, this episode will leave you inspired and equipped.

Click on the Links below to learn more about what we discussed in this episode

· 2025 World Alzheimer’s Report: https://www.alzint.org/resource/world-alzheimer-report-2025/

· Freely available evidence-informed dementia reablement resources: www.hammond.com.au/reablement

· DTA dementia rehabilitation e-course: https://dta.com.au/online-courses/introduction-to-dementia-rehabilitation/

What is it really like to access overnight respite care for the first time?

In this heartfelt episode of Voices in DREAM, we sit down with Sharon to hear her and her mother’s powerful story of experiencing overnight respite care for the very first time.

Sharon’s mum, who was living with dementia, faced uncertainty and vulnerability during this major transition. Sharon shares her emotional journey, the fears, hopes, and lessons she and her mum both encountered.

Tune in to explore:

· The emotional impact of accessing respite for the first time

· Sharon’s reflections on her mum’s experience and how care teams responded

· What made a difference and what could’ve been better

· Practical ways to support people living with dementia and their families during their first respite stay

· How we can create smoother, more supportive transitions into respite care

Whether you’re a caregiver, aged care worker, or someone supporting a loved one with dementia, this episode offers invaluable insights into the real-life experience of respite and how we can do better.