Innovation and experimentation are techniques professionals use to find new cures and procedures to alleviate pain.  As we age we are prone to injuries and even a break down of our mental capacity.  Billions of dollars and hundreds of companies around the world continually try to find ways to meet these needs.   Though one technique has started to catch on throughout the country and is being used by assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and care managers for Dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, music therapy.

Geriatric caregivers have observed for decades that Alzheimer’s patients tend to remember and even show the ability to sing songs from memory long after they’ve stopped recognizing names and faces. Many hospitals and nursing homes use music as recreation, since it brings patients pleasure and calmness. But beyond the entertainment and soothing value, there’s growing evidence that listening to music can also help stimulate seemingly lost memories and even help restore some cognitive function.

Using familiar music, which can be chosen by a senior person’s family, can potentially help seniors reconnect their memories. Doctors believe that by engaging very basic mechanisms of emotions and listening, music is able to stimulate dormant areas of the brain that haven’t been accessible due to Dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, a nonprofit organization founded at Beth Abraham in 1995 studies the effects of music on people.  They are trying to promote a program to provide MP3 players loaded with specific music play lists for seniors.  They believe this helps seniors relive old experiences that, in effect, help to stimulate their mind.  A study that was funded by the New York State Department of Health, in order to determine the effect of music on people with Dementia a few years back included 45 patients with mid- to late-stage Dementia by the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function.  This study found that participants who listened to an hour of personalized music three times a week for 10 months showed an increase of 50% on average in their cognitive functions.  One patient even recognized his wife for the first time in months.

The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function recommends the use of music from the 60’s that were popular.  This includes such artists as Bob Dylan, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Jay & the Americans, The Beach Boys, and The Rolling Stones.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of money and manpower music therapy isn’t used widely with Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients.  Currently in the U.S. there are only about 5,000 certified music therapists, and fewer than 20% work with geriatric patients. This is one of the main reasons assisted living facilities and nursing’s homes need to step it up and help encourage the use of music therapy in their facilities.

A senior person’s family member or caregiver can create their own play lists on an Mp3 player for their senior loved one.  If you want to create your own music play list for a senior person, researching popular songs during their youth is a good start and can be done by accessing the website www.imnf.org.  Music therapy is an inexpensive and effective way to help stimulate a senior person’s mind with Dementia or Alzheimer’s.

*reprinted with permission from American Care Managers

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