Based on solid research, people with dementia want to listen to music but are unable to use conventional means because its too complicated to operate. The Simple Music Player is designed to overcome these problems and immediately improves quality of life
The Simple Music Player was developed with supporting research from the Bath Institute of Medical Engineering (BIME). The beneficial effects of music for people with dementia are quite outstanding; both for improving the quality of life, especially when living alone, and for its healthy restorative effects on cognizance and lucidity. A recurring problem however, has been the difficulties people with dementia face when trying to operate modern music playing equipment. Remembering how controls operate or manipulation of knobs, non-tactile buttons, and an array of confusing symbols all limit access to this well proved benefit. The Simple Music Player has been designed to be as easy as possible to operate for the end user; that is, the person with dementia. Setting up the player is undertaken by friends, family or carers, as a one time process. Extensive trialing has verified that the operation is highly intuitive and does not require any prior knowledge or memory to start and stop the player. The styling is also reminiscent of old radios and is instantly recognisable as something which plays music.
