3. Music therapy for Alzheimer's patients
If you've ever found yourself singing a pop song you haven't heard since high school -- and knowing the lyrics -- you have some idea of the power of musical memory. Someone with Alzheimer's might not remember breakfast, yet the lyrics of old favorites from 50 or 60 years ago may be at the tip of her tongue.
Listening to familiar music is both enjoyable and comforting. It can relieve stress and anxiety and improve mood. People with Alzheimer's often "open up" and start to clap and sing along. In group settings, music may prompt listeners to reminisce about their past and interact with one another. At music therapy programs in adult daycare or assisted living facilities, caregivers may arrange live performances or music with dancing, which has the added benefit of encouraging exercise.
- What you can do: Select music carefully, and stick to what you know your loved one likes and enjoys. (If you're not sure, look for CDs or old LPs of tunes from her 20s and 30s, when almost everyone is most attuned to popular music. You may even be able to borrow some from the library to try them out.) Playing music during meals may improve appetite, and calmer music played before bedtime may help her get to sleep more easily and agreeably.
In addition, some satellite radio channels are devoted to music from eras dating back to her heyday. Avoid radio stations that broadcast lots of commercials, as these can be confusing to listeners with Alzheimer's. It's also impossible to predict exactly what a radio station will play, and certain music may bother or agitate her.
Early in the disease, she may enjoy live concerts. It doesn't have to be your local Carnegie Hall; even a high school choral performance or a church choir can be entertaining.
Some people with Alzheimer's enjoy making music. Many children's musical toys are appropriate without seeming juvenile, so look for maracas, tambourines, xylophones, or toy lap harps (zither) that offer easy-to-follow music sheets or can simply be plucked when she can no longer follow the written notes.
