There are many proven benefits of listening to, writing and performing music, from improving self-expression to boosting mood levels.
Following brain injury, music can help with cognitive functioning, social skills and physical ability. Whether it's singing or playing an instrument, music can play a positive role in recovery and rehabilitation.
In this special feature, we look at how Headway groups and branches across the country use music to improve the lives of brain injury survivors.
The language of music
Music, like other forms of creative arts, can support verbal and non-verbal communication. Many people experience more than one form of communication problem after brain injury, such as a language impairment, speech difficulty or cognitive communication problem.
Singing may help speech stimulation and improve pronunciation, articulation, projection and recall of vocabulary.
Writing, performing and listening to music may also help boost communication skills among brain injury survivors. Vocal elements of music such as rhythm and pitch can be imitated in spoken language, meaning survivors can transfer skills learnt in music lessons to their everyday speech.
Fatigue, memory problems and slower speeds of information processing are common after brain injury and make communicating with others a challenge. For those who struggle to articulate their thoughts and feelings, music allows them to express themselves creatively.
