May 05, 2026 - 148 views
A dementia care home singalong has grown into a hit community project now touring Gwynedd.
Music sessions designed to unlock memories among residents of Pendine Park’s Bryn Seiont Newydd care home in Caernarfon are now reaching people far beyond its walls.
The initiative, created by actor and singer Emyr Gibson, uses classic songs from the 1950s and 60s to spark recollections, lift the mood and get people singing along and dancing.
Backed by growing evidence that familiar music can reduce anxiety and trigger memories in people with dementia, the sessions have become a powerful tool in daily life at Bryn Seiont where Emyr works as a creative practitioner.
Now, after proving a hit with residents, the Atgofion Jiwcbocs (Jukebox Memories) sessions have been taken on the road, drawing crowds into libraries across Gwynedd where even passers-by are stopping in.
Emyr said: "Residents at Bryn Seiont Newydd enjoy a sing-song and they are held regularly and are very effective in boosting their mood.
"Hearing a song from the past often sparks a memory and the stories the residents recall are wonderful to hear.
“Many recall the words to the songs and join in the singing and very often their feet are tapping to the music and some will even get up and have a dance.”
Knowing Valerie Kressman, from the Llanberis area, was a fan of Cilla Black, Emyr found a video of the Liverpool-born singer singing her 1964 hit, Anyone who had a Heart, and it wasn't long before the 73-year-old was singing along.
"I know the words to all of Cilla's songs," she said.
Another resident, Peter Brierly, asked Emyr to play Mel Torme's version of "Blue Moon".
Peter, from Criccieth but originally from Manchester, said: "This was the song that was always the last to be played or sung at the dances I used to go to when I was younger after the (Second World) war. It's a great song," he said.
The music spurred Pamela Barker to get up and enjoy a quick dance with Emyr while an Elvis Presley video played on the screen.
"I enjoyed that," she said.
According to Emyr, musical memories are deeply embedded in the brain and often stay with people who have dementia even when other memories fade, as the areas involved are affected later in the disease.
"Singing familiar songs can improve mood, encourage communication, and foster social connections for those with dementia and their caregivers.
"I'm delighted that Atgofion Jiwcbocs has been so well received. I play a selection of old songs and videos which encourage everyone to join in. It is a lot of fun and enables those with dementia to recall many happy times."
Emyr has been a professional actor for more than 20 years and is probably best known for playing Meical in the popular Welsh soap opera 'Rownd a Rownd' on S4C.
But he has also appeared in many other popular drama programmes on television channels in Wales.
As a member of Trio, Cymru Emyr has sung on stages across Wales and appeared on the popular S4C programme Noson Lawen.
He also hosts a programme on Môn FM, a bilingual community radio station serving Anglesey and Gwynedd.
He joined the staff of Bryn Seiont Newydd four years ago and has been nominated for a top honour at the Wales Care Awards.
Sandra Evans, manager of Bryn Seiont Newydd, said: “It’s wonderful to see the Jukebox Memories project making such a positive difference, not only to our residents but now to the wider community across Gwynedd.
“Music has a unique ability to unlock memories and bring people together, and that’s exactly what we see every day here.
“The sessions fit perfectly with the ethos of Bryn Seiont Newydd and, more widely, Pendine Park, where music and the arts provide a golden thread running through daily life.
“Initiatives like this enrich wellbeing, spark joy and create meaningful moments for everyone involved. We’re incredibly proud of the impact it’s having.”
Emyr added: "The Gwynedd Library Service heard of the sessions and along with Dementia Actif Gwynedd asked me if I could hold some sessions at libraries.
"We started off in Caernarfon and Porthmadog and the sessions went very well and have since been held in libraries at Nefyn, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Tywyn.
“The library in Pwllheli is on one of the main streets and people heard the music and came in to see what was going on and joined in."
