Making this project a reality has been a lengthy process involving rigorous planning, testing and review by many professionals in the Australian aged care industry.

More than five years in the making, the final product is a unique two-in-one resource that is both a training module for practitioners, as well as a tool to assist staff whose job it is to run therapeutic musical activity sessions with their elderly clients.

Long-term projects like this don’t happen without an enormous behind-the-scenes effort from a dedicated group of people motivated by a total belief in its value. So with that in mind, I’d like to thank some of those people now.

Enormous thanks goes to Colette Baya, Ruth Wilson, Jennifer Inchley and Leonie Bell, all of whom are highly experienced and qualified aged care professionals in their fields of diversional therapy,health and lifestyle. Without them, this resource would never have materialised.

Thanks also to Ian Skurrie for his relentless commitment to the training DVD, and to Carol Brett and Danielle Beiermann for their work on designing and editing the publication.

In order to meet the professional standards required of a training resource, I’m so thankful for the advice and guidance of Ruth Wilson,Jennifer Inchley and Jeff Kirkland who are all accredited Level 4 trainers.

As we were nearing the completion phase of this project, we were honoured to receive the support of Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO, former Governor of NSW, who kindly wrote the Foreword as a means of endorsing this project and the work we do. She shares our passion for music as a healer and restorer of happiness and well being.

I am also indebted to the late John Sidney for his beautiful piano music, and forever grateful for the musical talents and versatility of Barry Hall OAM. Barry has tailored the music in this package to suit each Musical Armchair Travels journey, incorporating instruments into each recording to match the culture of the country being visited.

In Musical Armchair Travels, we believe we have produced a valuable tool you will use in your musical activity programs for many years to come. It is another music resource born out of numerous requests from managers and those involved with delivering lifestyle and activities programs to our elders in care.

There are various ways an armchair travels session can be conducted, however, in our DVD we demonstrate an armchair travels session using music. Music is such a powerful medium that, when correctly managed in any activity, can impact positively on quality of life for those living in aged care, and especially those with symptoms of dementia.

Most people only have their memories when they enter residential care, and the aim of Musical Armchair Travels is to encourage group participation by stimulating fond memories of travel experiences with the correct application of the right music, which we all know,has proven to be a most effective tool for evoking memories.

Graeme Pope

Director, Aged Care Music Resources