Description
Music is deeply rooted in our conscious and subconscious brains. When the brain starts to age and people suffer from dementia and cognitive loss, music can awaken the brain. The result is an awakening that can help patients communicate and feel like themselves again.
Music and Memory works with a personalized music list, centering around music the patient liked and knew from ages 15-25. Why? This is the point in a person’s life when memories are most likely to be stored in long term memory and thus retrievable at a later time by playing that specific music.
Once a personalized music assessment is done and a song list provided, the music is copied to a MP3 player and provided to the client along with headphones and/or a small personal speaker. After a few months the patients are evaluated – is there less agitation? Less meds needed? Weight gain? Music can be changed as needed.
Benefits
Music and Memory has been shown to activate cognition and speech, helping patients recognize food, chew and swallow. Music can help one focus on something recognizeable, which reduces confusion and feelings of being overwhelmed. It can reduce pain by releasing opiods. It can distract from pain. Music can help relax muscles and therefore help with sleep. Singing uses consonants and vowels, activating speech. Musical rhythm generates body movement, which reduces muscle tension and improves coordination.
(source: musicandmemory.org)
Location
Clients can contact ADRC (Susan Johnson) and she will conduct the initial assessment and forward the music matrix to Kafasi to have the personalized music list created and copied to an Ipod/ MP3 player. The mp3, speaker and/or headphones will then be delivered to the patient.
Eligibility Requirements
They need to be over 60. They need to have the ability to control the MP3 player and/or have a caretaker that can do that for them.
COST
There is no cost.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
No
