March 7, 2018

Music Therapy at Cross Creek: Five Senses Series Part Four

Music is something that can bring us together and give us a wonderful sense of community – which is one of the reasons we use music so frequently at Cross Creek at Lee’s Summit Assisted Living | Memory Care.

Hearing certain songs can jog memories for those dealing with dementia, and even if they do not remember the name of the song or the artist who recorded it, they may often be able to sing along and appreciate the sound of it. In this way, music therapy can improve the mental well-being of individuals with dementia, as it can help stimulate memories, improve their mood and help them engage in social interaction and community.

Music can also provide a bridge for family members to connect with loved ones who may have lost almost all memories. Many late-stage Alzheimer’s patients can still respond to soothing or familiar music, and this can be a way for families to continue to communicate with their loved ones after the disease has made communication very difficult.

At Cross Creek, we love to incorporate music into most activities. Recurring events like “Name That Tune” and “Music for the Soul” focus entirely on music, although music almost always plays in the background during most activities. We also love to invite musicians to come and perform for our residents – sometimes the music is so good, the whole room ends up getting up to dance.

If you would like to learn more about music therapy, please review the resource links below.

Resources:

https://www.alzheimers.net/2013-06-04/music-therapy-for-dementia/

https://www.aplaceformom.com/senior-care-resources/articles/dementia-therapy-and-music

https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-2015/music-therapy-for-alzheimers.html

http://www.todaysgeriatricmedicine.com/news/story1.shtml