There was much excitement and anticipation at the first ‘drum-off’ between two of our homes. Two of our neuro-rehab services for adults with acquired brain injury; The Richardson Mews and 144 Boughton Green Road competed in a series of drumming games.

Each individual had their own set of bongo drums and the session was led by Music Enrichment Leader, Darren, on his large hand drum. Points were awarded to each team for performance and accuracy and the games were:

• Right to left, left to right
• How many bangs on the drum?
• Count the drums, not the claps
• Stop and start
• I play, you play
• Guess the song

There was a brilliant atmosphere with a real positive energy and the build-up before the start meant that everyone was raring to go! The teams, encouraged by their captains, supported each other in friendly, but competitive rivalry, which encouraged each individual to do their best. The guys from Boughton Green Road had even produced their own team t-shirts for the occasion.

All of the games supported the neurological, emotional and physical well-being of our service users in different ways. This is supported by growing evidence in neuroscience and music therapy, for example:

Cognitive and Neurological Benefits

1. Neuroplasticity Stimulation
   • Rhythmic patterns stimulate the brain’s ability to form new neural connections, which is especially important after a brain injury.
   • Drumming activates multiple brain areas: auditory cortex, motor cortex, prefrontal cortex and cerebellum.
2. Executive Function and Attention
   • The games incorporated structured drumming tasks such as listening and repeating sequences, reacting to signals, counting and identifying rhythms, which improve attention, planning, working memory, and impulse control, particularly beneficial for individuals with ADHD, TBI, and frontal lobe dysfunction.
3. Mood Regulation and Emotional Expression
   • Drumming has been found to increase dopamine and serotonin levels, helping with depression, anxiety and PTSD.
   • Group drumming has been linked to reductions in the stress hormone cortisol.

 Motor Function and Physical Benefits

1. Bilateral Coordination
   • As the service users were drumming with both hands, if they were able to, this helps to improve coordination and cross-hemispheric communication.
2. Fine and Gross Motor Skills
   • Repetitive, rhythm-based movement enhances motor planning, timing and precision, which help to improve motor skills.
3. Sensory Integration
   • Tactile (hands on drum), auditory (rhythm) and visual feedback improve sensorimotor integration and kinesthesia.

Social and Psychological Benefits

1. Social Connection
   • Drumming as part of a group, especially in a competitive team environment encourages social connection. This supports non-verbal communication and a sense of belonging, helping those with social deficits.
2. Self-Efficacy and Confidence
   • Mastering rhythms fosters motivation and positive identity during rehab.

In a closely-fought contest, the team from 144 Boughton Green Road were the winners and took home the trophy along with a medal for each individual. Everyone from both teams received a certificate to mark their achievements, and as a reminder of a brilliant afternoon. There will undoubtably be a re-match as well as similar drum-off contests amongst the other homes.