Music is a powerful tool and accessible medium that can trigger emotional recall, like taking us to key moments in our lives. It can also have a direct influence on our mood and emotions – and therefore our wellbeing. 

That’s why we embraced this project with open arms, an initiative by Amsterdam’s healthcare provider Amsta, focussing mainly on helping elderly people with a mental disability. 

We let the power of music speak by creating bespoke playlists to help nursing homes be an even better environment for their residents. We included songs that make you go back in time, clap your hands, stomp your feet, songs that have the ultimate purpose to put a smile on people’s face. 

The music ranged from golden oldies to soothing classical music, as well as musical stories that are often linked to important live events and emotionally meaningful experiences. The purpose? To make use of these playlists for different activities such as holidays dinners or singing gatherings. We also selected nature sounds to help residents calm down if needed.

Raoul van Wezel, Team coach at Amsta, comments: “After seeing a documentary about the power of music, we immediately thought how we could apply the same principle to our nursing homes here in Amsterdam. With the playlists they provided, MassiveMusic really helped us find the right music which already resulted in so many positive reactions from our residents.” 

Marijn Roozemond, Director of Creative Strategy at MassiveMusic, adds: “The music we selected was music the residents used to listen to when they were in their 20s and 30s. That’s when you usually have the time of your life, with music really shaping your most memorable moments. Their cultural background was also taken into account, as well as where they grew up.”

Amsta’s long-term program is meant to bring a spark back to the daily lives of people with dementia and it now has been rolled out in all of Amsterdam’s nursing homes, resulting in many smiles and living room get-togethers.