On this page you can find playlists for the elderly, designed to be played by staff and carers at care homes and in the community.
The playlists are approximately fifty minutes to an hour long, created for easy use.
Artists and repertoire have been selected on the basis of the musical interests of residents at Cedar Court Care Home, Cranleigh and Stonehill House, Abbeyfield Haddenham, collected in informal interviews with volunteers and Young Artist Musical Ambassador (YAMA) trainees from the Music Mind Spirit Trust in the period 2018-2020.
The specific tracks and sequencing were automatically selected by X-System, which is a technology capable of predicting the neuro-physiological effects of music. Shorter, twenty minute versions of some of these playlists can be found in the relaxing and enlivening pages on the site.
To start, please select a playlist below.
Wake Up with The Musicals
Total length: 53:09
Tracks have been selected and ordered by X-System to achieve a simple ascending slope of “activation” for the residents – beginning with moderate to low activation to accompany a comfortable awakening, and then increasing step by step to high activation to support getting up, getting dressed etc.
All tracks on this playlist have a positive valence, which means a positive “feel good” factor.
Title | Artist | Duration | Activation | Valence |
---|---|---|---|---|
Edelweiss | Christopher Plummer, Julie Andrews | 1.50 | 0.32 | 0.46 |
Memory | Elaine Paige | 5.15 | 0.33 | 0.44 |
Breakfast at Tiffany’s | Henry Mancini | 2.46 | 0.37 | 0.55 |
As long as he needs me | Jodie Prenger | 3.08 | 0.40 | 0.44 |
Somewhere over the rainbow | Doris Day | 3.39 | 0.44 | 0.52 |
Moon River | Henry Mancini | 2.41 | 0.46 | 0.52 |
Do-Re-Mi | Julie Andrews | 5.32 | 0.47 | 0.56 |
Macavity the Mystery Cat | Andrew Lloyd Webber | 6.57 | 0.51 | 0.50 |
If I were a Rich Man | Chaim Topol | 5.25 | 0.54 | 0.51 |
We’re off to see the Wizard | Judy Garland | 0.39 | 0.56 | 0.48 |
Follow the Yellow Brick Road | Judy Garland | 0.51 | 0.61 | 0.48 |
Consider Yourself | Laurence Jeffcoate | 6.15 | 0.67 | 0.49 |
The Rum Tum Tugger | Andrew Lloyd Webber | 3.05 | 0.72 | 0.48 |
Mr Mistoffelees | Andrew Lloyd Webber | 3.37 | 0.78 | 0.52 |
Getting Going With The Beatles
Total length: 49:03
Tracks have been automatically selected and ordered to achieve a simple ascending slope of “activation” for the residents, with high valence (“feel good factor”).
Title | Duration | Activation | Valence | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Yesterday | The Beatles | 2.03 | 0.35 | 0.49 |
And I Love Her | The Beatles | 2.31 | 0.42 | 0.52 |
Let It Be | The Beatles | 4.03 | 0.52 | 0.55 |
Come together | The Beatles | 4.19 | 0.53 | 0.57 |
If I Fell | The Beatles | 2.19 | 0.54 | 0.58 |
This Boy | The Beatles | 2.16 | 0.55 | 0.61 |
Get Back | The Beatles | 3.12 | 0.58 | 0.54 |
Eleanor Rigby | The Beatles | 2.06 | 0.60 | 0.62 |
Penny Lane | The Beatles | 2.58 | 0.63 | 0.64 |
Got to Get You Into My Life | The Beatles | 2.29 | 0.64 | 0.62 |
Hey Jude | The Beatles | 7.11 | 0.65 | 0.60 |
Can’t Buy Me Love | The Beatles | 2.11 | 0.66 | 0.53 |
Ob-la-di | The Beatles | 3.11 | 0.67 | 0.58 |
Help | The Beatles | 2.20 | 0.68 | 0.59 |
Paperback Writer | The Beatles | 2.27 | 0.73 | 0.57 |
All you need is love | The Beatles | 4.01 | 0.76 | 0.52 |
Back in the USSR | The Beatles | 2,45 | 0.81 | 0.52 |
Lunchtime with Glenn Miller
Total length: 57:41
In this case tracks were automatically selected and ordered to achieve a simple curve of “activation” for the residents – beginning with moderate activation to support physical movement associated with the arrival of residents in the dining room, then reducing to medium-to-low activation for eating and digesting, then slowly returning to moderate activation as residents prepare for physical activity, leaving the dining room.
Title | Duration | Activation | Valence | |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Woodpecker Song | Glenn Miller | 2.33 | 0.71 | 0.56 |
Little Brown Jug | Glenn Miller | 2.52 | 0.68 | 0.51 |
Chattanooga Choo Choo | Glenn Miller | 3.26 | 0.66 | 0.60 |
In the Mood | Glenn Miller | 2.35 | 0.65 | 0.55 |
Pennsylvania 6-5000 | Glenn Miller | 3.06 | 0.64 | 0.63 |
Moonlight Serenade | Glenn Miller | 3.22 | 0.56 | 0.58 |
Blueberry Hill | Glenn Miller | 2.53 | 0.55 | 0.59 |
When You Wish Upon a Star | Glenn Miller | 2.53 | 0.53 | 0.52 |
Tuxedo Junction | Glenn Miller | 3.28 | 0.50 | 0.60 |
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square | Glenn Miller | 3.40 | 0.47 | 0.53 |
Serenade in Blue | Glenn Miller | 3.27 | 0.50 | 0.54 |
On a Little Street in Singapore | Glenn Miller | 2.44 | 0.53 | 0.55 |
Over the Rainbow | Glenn Miller | 2.28 | 0.55 | 0.56 |
A String of Pearls | Glenn Miller | 3.14 | 0.61 | 0.63 |
Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree | Glenn Miller | 3.13 | 0.64 | 0.59 |
Kalamazoo | Glenn Miller | 3.16 | 0.65 | 0.61 |
When Johnny comes marching home | Glenn Miller | 3.13 | 0.67 | 0.58 |
Over There | Glenn Miller | 2.04 | 0.70 | 0.52 |
American Patrol | Glenn Miller | 3.18 | 0.73 | 0.57 |
Feeling Better And Better
Total length: 53:18
In this case tracks were automatically selected and ordered to achieve a simple curve of “feeling better and better” for the residents. X-System valence measures were used to calculate a curve from moderately positive valence (medium vagal power) to highly positive vagal power.
Title | Artist | Duration | Activation | Valence |
---|---|---|---|---|
My Heart Will Go On | Celine Dion | 5.10 | 0.22 | 0.44 |
Amazing Grace | Judy Collins | 3.49 | 0.27 | 0.45 |
Ave Maria | Olivia Newton John | 6.31 | 0.33 | 0.46 |
Blowing in the Wind | Julie Felix | 3.30 | 0.58 | 0.46 |
Walking in the Air | Aled Jones | 3.27 | 0.45 | 0.47 |
Wild Mountain Thyme | Marianne Faithfull | 3.38 | 0.32 | 0.47 |
Scarborough Fair | Simon and Garfunkel | 3.08 | 0.32 | 0.48 |
Que sera sera | Doris Day | 2.08 | 0.55 | 0.50 |
Somewhere Over the Rainbow | Doris Day | 3.39 | 0.44 | 0.52 |
Close to you | Susie Wong | 3.16 | 0.41 | 0.52 |
Molly Malone | The Dubliners | 3.02 | 0.44 | 0.52 |
Moon River | Henry Mancini | 2.41 | 0.46 | 0.52 |
My Way | Luciano Pavarotti | 3.34 | 0.50 | 0.53 |
Oh Pretty Woman | Roy Orbison | 2.59 | 0.70 | 0.53 |
What a Wonderful World | Louis Armstrong | 2.20 | 0.59 | 0.61 |
Relax With Opera
Total length: 1:04:26
In this case tracks were automatically selected and ordered to achieve a simple descending slope of “activation” for the residents – beginning with moderate to low activation, and with high valence (“feel good”).
Title | Duration | Activation | Valence | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Possenti amor mi chiama | Bocelli | 2.58 | 0.48 | 0.55 |
E buona la mia Tosca | Angelotti | 2.29 | 0.47 | 0.47 |
Donna Non Vidi Mai | Pavarotti | 2.05 | 0.45 | 0.40 |
A Forza di Martelli | Mozart | 3.05 | 0.45 | 0.45 |
Nessun Dorma | Pavarotti | 3.00 | 0.43 | 0.44 |
Celeste Aida Aida | Pavarotti | 4.08 | 0.42 | 0.40 |
Turna a Surriento | Pavarotti | 4.25 | 0.41 | 0.42 |
La Donna e Mobile | Bocelli | 2.18 | 0.40 | 0.47 |
Addio | Bocelli | 1.51 | 0.40 | 0.54 |
Che gelida manina | Pavarotti | 4.41 | 0.39 | 0.42 |
Recondita Armonia | Pavarotti | 3.00 | 0.39 | 0.42 |
Ch’Ella Mi Creda | Bocelli | 2.01 | 0.38 | 0.44 |
Ed io venivo | Puccini | 4.18 | 0.36 | 0.48 |
E lucevan le stelle | Puccini | 3.16 | 0.33 | 0.44 |
Caro Mi Bien | Pavarotti | 3.05 | 0.33 | 0.41 |
O dolci mani | Puccini | 1.38 | 0.32 | 0.41 |
Pourquoi me réveiller | Pavarotti | 3.07 | 0.31 | 0.41 |
La Fleur…. | Bocelli | 4.20 | 0.30 | 0.40 |
Aer tranquillo | Mozart | 6.43 | 0.29 | 0.45 |
Una Furtiva Lagrima | Bocelli | 4.14 | 0.27 | 0.43 |
Good Night With Doris Day
Total length: 49:01
Tracks were automatically selected and ordered to achieve a simple descending slope of “activation” for the residents – beginning with moderate to low activation to support the physical activity of preparing to sleep, decreasing to maximum relaxation. Music was also chosen for positive valence (vagal power – feeing good).
Title | Duration | Activation | Valence | |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Deadwood Stage | Doris Day | 3.20 | 0.66 | 0.56 |
High Hopes | Doris Day | 2.20 | 0.60 | 0.55 |
Shanghai | Doris Day | 2.24 | 0.57 | 0.53 |
Que sera sera | Doris Day | 2.08 | 0.55 | 0.50 |
Swinging on a Star | Doris Day | 2.33 | 0.52 | 0.52 |
The Gypsy in my Soul | Doris Day | 3.10 | 0.50 | 0.52 |
Cheek to Cheek | Doris Day | 2.58 | 0.47 | 0.52 |
The Way You Look Tonight | Doris Day | 3.23 | 0.46 | 0.56 |
On the Street where You Live | Doris Day | 3.07 | 0.45 | 0.51 |
Long Ago and Far Away | Doris Day | 2.33 | 0.43 | 0.53 |
Secret Love | Doris Day | 3.38 | 0.42 | 0.47 |
Three Coins in a Fountain | Doris Day | 3.16 | 0.41 | 0.46 |
Singin’ in the Rain | Doris Day | 2.02 | 0.40 | 0.50 |
Night and Day | Doris Day | 3.15 | 0.39 | 0.45 |
When I Fall in Love | Doris Day | 2.56 | 0.38 | 0.46 |
Again | Doris Day | 2.59 | 0.35 | 0.51 |
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered | Doris Day | 2.39 | 0.28 | 0.47 |
Find Out More / Speak To Us
If you have any thoughts, ideas or experience any problems at all using these pages, please contact us using this form. If you would like to learn more about the science behind the playlists, please see this page. Back to playlists