Seniors and the Importance of Music for Memory

From a little bit of forgetfulness to the slippery slope of dementia, the memory function of seniors has been something that varies widely from person to person. Dementia is a general term for the mental decline, most often seen in seniors, that is severe enough to interfere with one’s daily life. One of the most common symptoms of dementia is trouble with communication. For some, at first, it can be the mixing up of words that can come across as unclear and sometimes incomprehensible. For example, a senior may say something like “I want to eat dirt”, when they really mean “I want to eat lunch”. These small mix-ups can often come across as a silly mishap. However, they are signs of the mental disease, dementia. As dementia progresses, a person can fully lose the ability to communicate in coherent sentences. A person with severe dementia may babble like an infant, while others may not speak at all.

Throughout my experience working in various senior living environments for over 7 years, I have personally observed how music can miraculously stimulate the brain of residents. I have first hand witnessed the “unbelievable”, in terms of what music can do for a person struggling with dementia. Approximately 5 years ago, I took an Alzheimer’s resident to a live music performance. This person happened to be a “babbler”. Whenever she spoke I, as well as my coworkers, had no clue what she was trying to say. I would always just go along with whatever she was “saying”, nodding along and going through the motions of a conversation,as if I understood her, to avoid any possible frustration. However, once she heard the performer sing “Bye Bye Love”, by the Everly Brothers, she began to sing clearly and finished the entire song in plain,direct English. It was perfect and I was left, to put it simply, breathless. Additionally, on a similar occasion, I have observed a resident who had Alzheimer’s sit down and play a song on the piano seamlessly. These are just two of the many scenarios where I have witnessed the true gift that music brings to seniors.

Currentlyworking as an Activities Director at an Assisted Living Community, I hire singers on a weekly basis to perform for our residents. Music isextremely reminiscent for them. While listening to certain songs that have been momentous in their lives, residents oftenbegin recalling long lost memories that are associated with the music. Often,I hear seniors reminiscing about a time they had gone dancing with a partner, their wedding day, raising children, and even their time in high school, all because of a familiar song. Whenever we have entertainers perform, many ofourresidents dance in their seats, wheelchairs, and walkers, while others who are able to, get up and dance! During and after a song, it is notuncommon to see smiling faces and hear them talk of the various memories that their brain has associated with that song. In fact, data has shown that listening to music releases dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is the “feel-good” natural neurochemical responsible for when we experience pleasure and reward in our lives.

In my line of work, music has proven itself to be a priceless gift. It is not only fun for seniors to listen and dance to, but it does so much more preserving their precious memories, andin fact stimulates the brain. It is, indeed, why our Assisted Living Community, Rockville Terrace Senior Living, has entertainment often.