“Sleigh bells ring, are you listening. In the lane, snow is glistening…”
People of all ages enjoy the music and melodies of the holiday season. Whether it’s a nostalgic tune or a religious hymn, music helps to make it the most wonderful time of the year!
I’m sure you’ve experienced hearing a song on the radio that immediately brought you back in time to a memorable moment. Music in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s was a way of life. It was played at theaters, by bands, in clubs, on the radio and through jingles on TV ad. It is not a coincidence that many individuals suffering from cognitive diseases such as Dementia, Alzheimer’s and others that lived through these musical era’s react positively to the effects of music in their later years.
According to BrainHealth.org, music has been shown to aid with agitation and behavioral abnormalities, which are common in Alzheimer’s disease’s intermediate phases. Even in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease, a person may be able to tap a beat or sing the words to a favorite childhood song. Music allows people to connect even when verbal communication is difficult.
If you are caring for a loved one with cognitive disease, you don’t have to be a music therapist to help Alzheimer’s patients enjoy music. Music experiences can be set up by caregivers. You can create a customized playlist that serves a variety of purposes, including incentive, relaxation, and personal care tasks such as feeding and dressing a person. Music can also simply serve to awaken dormant memories.
If you would like more information on how music can be incorporated into your loved one’s care plan or the other ways personal care can aide in the quality of life of your loved ones, contact us today.
-Steve
