iPod Uplifts Those with Dementia in Music - Memory Program

 “…..Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” started to play on the iPod shuffle. Betty Babick 89, was free.

 Her eyes widened, her head swayed back and forth as she mouthed the song’s lyrics and sang along. For a few minutes, it seemed she no longer had dementia. Betty dances to big band music on her iPod shuffle. “I just enjoy it.” 

   Maxine Ferguson, 92, said Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby songs remind her of the good times she had with her late husband.

Residents have been happier since the program began last fall, Campbell said. “Sometimes you’ll see a huge change,” she said. “We are very much sold on it.”

Mill Creek has reduced the amount of medicine needed to calm agitated residents, or avoid the need for such medicine altogether, after residents have been able to listen to their individualized playlists for a half-hour or 45 minutes at a time, she said. “You can just see a complete difference in them,” she said.”

Music is a staple at most long-term care facilities, but personalized playlists and earphones to shut out distracting noise seems to have a profound effect on mood and the ability to rekindle Betty Babick.

      Danni, 90, who served in the Army during World War II and the Korean War, wasn’t too talkative before putting on his headphones. He said music “keeps me occupied.” But once Humperdinck’s voice started booming through his headphones, Danni looked more alert and began to move his right hand in the air to the beat of the music. “This is great. This is absolutely great,” Danni said, smiling. “I could do this all day.”

Mill Creek began offering the program to its 65 residents last fall after going through training offered by phone and online by Memory & Music, founded by New York social worker Dan Cohen in 2006.

Mill Creek learned about the program from Maggie Schaver, an administrative assistant at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s Center for Alzheimer’s disease and Related Disorders.

 Sources: 

 Music & Memory: More information about the Music & Memory program is available at http://musicandmemory.org and through Southern Illinois University School of Medicine administrative assistant Maggie Schaver, who can be reached at 545-7193 or mschaver@siumed.edu.

 Free information for individuals on how to create personalized playlists for loved ones is available at http://musicandmemory.org/request-guide

This blog has taken bits and pieces from Dean Olsen's article in the the State Journal-Register. I thank Dean for a wonderfully uplifting and information article.

All my best!

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