How many of us get “carried away” listening to our favorite piece of music? The experience is often transformative—listening to my favorite piece of classical music as I write, I’m filled with joy and a sense of peace.
Back in 2006, social worker Dan Cohen wondered about the power of music and began to ask nursing homes if they used iPods to provide personalized music for residents. To his surprise, not one facility said yes. How was it that this little marvel of technology was not being used to provide nursing home residents with music and its therapeutic benefits? So he set about to change all that.
We recently met Dan and learned about Music and Memory, his organization that brings personalized music via iPods to elderly individuals suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s and other isolating conditions, living in nursing homes and other settings. The music taps deep memories and enables the listener to reconnect to the world, often with dramatic results. The organization provides training programs for nursing home professionals and others to set up the personalized iPod system and evaluate the program’s effect.
Music and Memory has the potential to truly improve quality of life for so many. If you have any doubts, watch this clip from the documentary about Music and Memory’s work, Alive Inside. Henry will make you a believer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyZQf0p73QM&feature=player_embedded#
The Good People Fund has joined Dan’s revolution. Our grant will help underwrite the development of a new web site to promote Music and Memory’s program and share how each of us, whether caregiver, healthcare professional or even Hebrew school classes or b’nai mitzvah kids looking for a project, can join the revolution.
