As a qualified sound therapist and avid student of Music Therapy, and someone who nursed his mother through the final stages of dementia, I'm constantly blown away by examples of music assisting patients with Alzheimer's Disease, dementia, depression and more. One story that surfaced in 2011 shows Henry, an elderly patient of 92 years and clearly suffering badly with dementia.
Henry is virtually non-communicative when we meet him. He appears to have limited awareness and is unable to form meaningful dialogue with his family, friends or nursing staff. He struggles to recognise his daughter, Cheri and appears to get agitated quickly.
The late, British neurologist, Oliver Sacks MD (1933-2015) describes how Henry is introduced to an iPod, containing some music from Henry's younger days; a time when music formed a key part of Henry's life.
As the music is digested by Henry, his entire body language alters. He literally becomes animated and, when his music is relunctantly stopped by a nurse, Henry quickly becomes communicative, answering the key questions being asked of him. From a state of almost total inertness, Henry lights up as he recounts the music of his youth, being able to remember the lyrics with apparent ease. Although the music is no longer directly stimulating his mind, Henry temporarily regains his identity via the power of music.
For anyone suffering with the horrific effects of dementia, there are sources of help and advice.
https://musicandmemory.org/ work in the USA with people such as Henry, in nursing homes and care organisations. Their YouTube channel is below.
https://www.youtube.com/user/MusicandMemory1
In the UK, there is Alzheimer's Support, a charity that operates a 'Music For The Mind' program.
