How do I find the right music group for my dad?

[thesecretmusicteacher]

Will the health professionals have leads or is it all about networking?

Dad is 76, a well-respected trad. jazz musician from the 1950s revival generation and stopped gigging only last year after a traumatic eye operation and associated visual processing problems stopped him driving and made stage-work hard.

He has what I'm fairly sure if a misdiagnosis of moderate Alzheimers - 2 years on, he has great insight into his condition, no short term memory loss and a range of "workarounds" that he has developed to overcome his deficits - so if it is Alzheimers, it's more like the sort Terry Pratchett has.

The visiting nurse wants dad to attend music groups. He needs to be with people who like or play trad. jazz really - it's very much a thing of his generation - how do I go about finding what's on from far away?

Mum is around but has always had a "complex" attitude to dad's jazz and dad has always been a man of few words so they fall into the "hard to help" category of parents.......

Even the most general of pointers appreciated. I've emailed the jazz dept. of musicians' union.

Wil there be a call centre in dad's area where they can describe the groups available?

[Needmoresleep]

You might find something under University of the Third Age

www.u3a.org.uk/home.html

You then need to search in your local area. No jazz for my mum but potentially American Square Dancing or Blues singing.

[titchy]

Are there any music colleges nearby that might offers courses or recitals? If you can give an idea as to what part of the country he's in someone might know of something locally. Cambridge and Hayfield in Derbyshire have jazz festivals every year for instance so there should be someone in those areas with contacts?

[thesecretmusicteacher]

Christchurch in Dorset.

[thesecretmusicteacher]

am following the u3a lead - have found swing unlimited. just need jazz unlimited!

[titchy]

www.stompin.org/about-us/ Any good? Local council involved so may know of other things happening?