The incredible power of music for people with dementia | Whiddon

Hear about aged care provider, Whiddon's, trial of a Stanford Music Program and the powerful effects of music for people with dementia.

[petuniaromania]

They're eyes actually change - it almost appears that they suddenly become awake or lucid.

[ceilingunlimited]

My mom had Alzheimers - for 11 years. During teh last few years, her speaking was usually gibberish, sometimes sing-songy kinds of things like "Bump-itty-ump!" Once in a great while, three word phrases. Two of the last things she said to me that involved legitimate words were "I love you", which I think was triggered because she realized we were leaving and her brain remembered that is something you say as a parting phrase. She followed that up with "you go now", which sounds like a command but it was more observational. The music thing though. Well, I wanted to share this. One time, the nursing home had this one-man-polka band come to the place. He played in this little community room to a bunch of non-verbal people in skilled nursing. So, we visited with mom while he was playing, and she really enjoyed it. She was singing along, but it was 100% gibberish. Still, she was responding and having a grand time. So the guy finishes a song, and says "Oh, she remembers the old country, where is she from?" I do not know why I said this, I wasn't being a wise guy, but for some reason I said "Germany". My mom was of English descent, at some point in the early 1800's or 1700's came to the U.S. and thus started generations of dirt-farming sharecroppers. But I told the guy Germany for some reason. He says he's going to sing a song for her in German, so he starts playing this polka at his giant keyboard thing with fake drums and everything sampled in. He's singing along, mom's singing along in gibberish, the guys says "Look, she knows the song!" Mom's there banging her hand as hard as she can on the table to the music, she's gibberish singing a language that was gibberish to her and having a grand old time. It was probably the best visit we ever had with her during her 18 months there. The next day, the nursing home calls me up. We don't know what happened, but your mother is rubbing her left hand a lot, she's hurt it somehow, so we're going to have it x-rayed. I knew how that happened! x-ray was negative, she didn't break anything, she just enjoyed some polka music!

[bigshowishere]

My pop Eric has always loved his music. Its a universal language. Thankyou Widdon for giving him the love of music again

[sharonlabrecque]

My mom loved it when we set up an iPod full of her music she liked. We could see it in her eyes and her physical response. I miss her so much.

[graceandsophie]

I used to play the piano and sometimes sing hymns to my grandmother, who raised me. A lot of her personality and ability to remember who I was had mostly disappeared, but when I would start playing, a lot of her memory would come back. She remembered me. She remembered the words. She remembered to be happy.

I would play and sing until my fingers and wrists ached, or my voice was almost gone because I didn't want her to go away again. She passed away in late March of 2020. My fondest memories of her during the last few years are the times we spent at the piano, remembering.

[brendapurvis]

My dad had dementia and vascular dementia. He was a jim reeves fan and when we played his songs 🎵. He was start singing his songs. His face would light up when he heard the songs. He would always ask for a wee dram of whiskey.

[mildrednekesa]

Music is MEDICINE for me, it just CARESSES my heart, makes me fill HIGH, gives life to my WHOLE self, just can't do without music(even if I have to sing though my voice is so pathetic 😓🤷😓 but too bad.) Music brings healing: Indeed it is SOUL FOOD🤗🎶🤗

[vintagebrew]

When our grandma had dementia in the 1970's and lost her power of speech we used to play the music of her youth and she would respond. Her favourite song was "If I had my life to live over". Also placing tactile things on her lap to touch, such as a piece of velvet or a seashell seemed to give her some enrichment.

[jametoriaburton]

I totally believe in this premise and research and have noticed similar reactions with my 95-yr. old dad. When the music starts,
that he knows, he sings, remembers the words and his personality comes out more.

[brendapurvis]

My dad had dementia and vascular dementia. We were lucky because he still recognised us The evil thing about this disease is he thought our mum was still alive. But we would tell him that she was fine or sleeping. Then we would put on Jim reeves for him then he would just start singing along with the song. Then fall asleep with his music on. I just wish that everywhere in the world 🌎. That governments would recognised this horrible disease and what it does to the mums or dads that have it they would help the family alot more and the people in nursing homes or hospitals alot more funding to maybe one day a cure. God bless everyone in the world 🌎who family member who has this disease stops. Love from Glasgow Scotland.xx

[camilobastidas]

God bless these care workers and the patients suffering from these illnesses...

[ayyyoo]

I wish I knew about something like this for my grand father. This is a very wonderful thing.

[BlindingDarkness]

Isnt it cool that music calls us back? ❤

[raytyson]

CNA 29yrs, musician I seen the power of music with people living with Dementia one of God's many Blessing.

[TFlexxx]

I'd like to hear exactly what music they are listening to.

[deidreshepherd]

The residence’s facial expressions says so much.

[lucilaparga]

I'm a Patient Companion : my patient, s have Dementia. I always play soothing, relaxing music for them. They enjoy and Sing and sometimes dance.. music is therapy for the mind, body and soul..

[davidcnutt]

I think something that needs to be looked into more is not the mystical side of this with music being some romantic magical thing. It seems like it's reactivating dormant neural connections. There could be many more catalysts to help promote this neural connection! And maybe we can learn enough about how memories and created and how they connect and maintain themselves to the point where dementia and Alzheimer becomes so manageable that it's practically non existent. I think this is key. Asides from my opinion this musical catalyst is clearly working. It really shows the bodies ability under the right conditions to repair itself. Rather than use drugs

[lyckna]

I'm working with music and dementia through my company Lyckna. Even though I see this on a regular basis, it never stops to amaze me. Music has a profound effect on humans, and in particular when cognition is damaged due to dementia. I wish everyone knew about this. /Isak

[angel]

My comment is a lot longer than I thought it would be. I still hope you will read it. I use to work in a care center years ago. I was the activities person. We had a memory unit and one day I would take a record player and records from their generation. I'm 60 now and I worked at the care center when I was in my 20's. Anyhow I would do activities that involved listening to music. One of the gentlemen named Frank started singing the music and engaged with me the 1st time. He usually just sat in his chair and I would look into his eyes and it was like nobody was home. Until I played a record from the big band era. All of the sudden his eyes and his face changed immediately. The charge nurse and the activity director thought I was loosing it since Frank and a lady named Catherine started smiling and Frank started talking about Benny Goodman I think it was. He also loved a song called "Little Brown Jug". I don't know who sang that song. It's crazy to this day I remember the name of the song. This was in the 80's. So a long time ago. I will never forget how Frank started talking about his wife that died a number of years before he was put in the care center by family. He was describing listening to Benny Goodman at a concert. He would tap his foot and sing part of the songs. Both Frank and Catherine loved the songs from that generation. They were in their late 80' or early 90's. I'm sure both are them are gone now. I told my husband, daughters and others that if I end up in the hospital and the doctors wants to put me on machines, to play music for me. The power of music is under rated. In 2018, I ended up in ICU because I had sepsis. The doctors or nurses brought me back 3 or 4 times. The doctors told them that if they had to resuscitate me again, they would have to let me go because I was in multi organ failure. That's when my husband and oldest daughter remembered what I said about playing music that I like because of the power of music. My husband came back to our house to get the DVD player and the music I listen to was already loaded in the DVD player. I'm a Christian and all of the songs in the DVD player was Christian artists. They started playing the music constantly. My pastor was at the hospital the following day and he was listening to what the doctors and nurses was saying about how my blood pressure and other things started getting better about an hour after the music was started. I live in Utah and I think all of the doctors and nurses was Mormon or other faiths from my understanding. My daughters and grand daughter came to visit me. I'm only sharing what so many others told me. I had hundreds of people praying for me that belongs to a number of churches in our area. I knew so many people from other churches since I was involved in a lot of activities with a number of churches. Anyhow, my daughters, grand daughters and pastor was praying for me before our pastor left so my daughters could visit. I guess a few minutes after he prayed my eyes opened up. I was on machines and breathing tubes so I couldn't speak. But I could see and hear them talking. I remember when my daughter told me that my husband will be there to visit around 4pm.A week after that I was in a regular room and I was able to walk and do things. Even though it was very slow progress. A doctor and a couple physical therapist came to my room the day before I was sent to the rehab unit. They were beyond shocked at how much better I was. One PT asked me who the singers on the DVD player was. I told him that it was For King and Country, Danny Gokey, 2 WOW DVD with various singers. The PT guy said that he felt it was my faith and the faith and prayers of others that got me through. I don't remember anything until after I was there for 6 weeks.