The power of music is legendary. It provokes joy, excitement, stimulation and even and sadness. It takes you to exotic lands without leaving your easy chair, and it is a remarkable sparkplug for mental recall.
Music is being employed in a wonderful way by our friends at the Region IV Area Agency on Aging. They know only too well that no one wants to end up alone and isolated. It’s hard enough to lose someone you love to Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. It’s terrifying to think you could end up there yourself, someday. But there’s reason to hope for a better life as we age. MUSIC & MEMORY helps people who suffer from a wide range of cognitive and physical challenges to find renewed meaning and connection in their lives through the gift of personalized music.
The Region IV Area Agency on Aging is launching a Music & Memory Program to help people who have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, and invite you to help. The Agency is seeking donations of any old CDs to build its Music and Memory music library.
Some favorites of program participants are easy listening, big band/swing, classical, country & western, Broadway, spiritual, rock and R & B. Though donations of any music genre are appreciated.
In recent years, Alzheimer disease researchers have found that music from one’s past can significantly improve mood, alertness and quality of life for those with the disease. In fact, they say:
- It can replace confusing environment stimuli with something interpretable, redirecting the participant from boredom or distress with a soothing, familiar experience.
- It can decrease agitation and provide a distraction from fear and anxiety.
- The music decreases wandering during mealtimes and also decreases restlessness.
- Personalized music provides a valuable tool for the effort to reduce reliance on anti-psychotic, anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications.
Help spread the music and give new life to someone you love, by dropping off your donation of CDs at the Area Agency on Aging, 2900 Lakeview Avenue in St. Joseph or call (269) 983-7058 for more information.
Region IV Area Agency on Aging is a non-profit organization offering comprehensive and coordinated services to assist older persons and other vulnerable adults in maintaining independence in their homes and communities.
