Music conversation starters

To celebrate our 75th anniversary we are sharing a series of resources throughout the year that build on all of the research and knowledge Music in Hospitals & Care has gained about music and health. We hope you will find them useful whether you are just looking to learn more about the benefits, or if you would like to connect through live music with yourself, a loved one, or someone you support in a health or care setting.

The first resource we would like to share is some music conversation starters for health and care staff or family members to explore topics around music with a person they care for. This could include how someone would like to engage with music and the emotions and memories it sparks.

They are open questions and statements that don’t require a wide musical knowledge. If you would like to talk about music with someone you support, these conversation starters are a great place to begin. You can view and print them below.

A memorabl evening of Wine, Music and Song

Thank you to everyone who joined us and supported the Wine, Music and Song event. With music spanning centuries, the evening was a celebration of music in its many different roles.

Arts in Care Homes Day: Thanking Bert Smith

This Arts in Care Homes Day, we’re taking the time to thank Moyness Care Home’s Activities Coordinator Bert Smith, who has championed live music for care homes in Dundee for over 30 years. As Bert approaches retirement, he is looking back on his career and years of work with Music in Hospitals & Care.

World Alzheimer’s Month: Lifting spirits in Cumbria

Our musician Andy McKay has been visiting wards and care homes across Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, where we have been able to share 29 hours of live music between September 2025 and May 2026. One of the spaces Andy visited is the Ramsey Unit at Furness General Hospital, an assessment unit for patients with organic illnesses such as dementia.