Music for Dementia has launched an iOS app and listen again function to make it easier to listen to and personalise its internet-based m4d Radio.
Free from the Apple App store, the m4d Radio app has a simple interface that enables users to quickly identify which music stream they wish to listen to.
Upon opening the app, listeners are presented with colourful stripes depicting each of the five different era-specific music streams offered by m4d Radio.
Selecting an era takes them to a colour co-ordinated page to start the music and view the name of the song playing together with the relevant album cover.
Listeners can also request a song and view the schedule for the Mix stream.
The listen again function features previous programmes and celebrity playlists that can be selected at any time of the day or night.
The drag and drop system enables users to choose up to six hour-long programmes to listen to at their leisure. Each programme icon incorporates an (i) symbol which expands to show the list of songs within it.
The programme library currently extends to 18 choices, incorporating different genres, special occasions and artists, with plans to continually extend the selection.
“We know that many care settings use iPads and visiting relatives often use iPhones to play music, and it has always been our intention to create an app for m4d Radio to make finding the station and playing meaningful music even simpler,” said Music for Dementia director Grace Meadows.
“The new listen again feature offers carers and family members the opportunity to personalise up to six hours of music, providing greater flexibility for when and how to use the power of music to make connections with people living with dementia,” she added.
Android app versions are currently being tested with a view to release later this year.
