Oh that’s actually a known phenomenon music is a different part of the brain from speech for some reason. Lemme get on the computer with a keyboard I’ve got a few more fun comments…
Here’s a ballerina getting activated like a fucking sleeper agent to the score from Swan Lake. I’d also like to comment that the way she’s in the wheelchair and kinda slumped over to me suggests that the dementia has likely progressed enough that she’s having trouble walking (it even affects muscle memory, eventually she may even forget how to swallow) so the fact that music can activate her muscle memory anyway is pretty cool.
If you ever have a relative with dementia that requires caregivers that are not family or friends (nurses, home health aides, etc) please put together two music playlists for me (or spiritual me 😉):
one set of chill music I can play if I need them to relax for bedtime and stressful events
one more upbeat set of songs physical or recreation therapy can play if they need to get them up and out of bed.
If I don’t know what songs they like I’ll usually try whatever was popular in their demographic when they were 15-25y/o but that’s never gonna beat knowing the exact song they danced to at their wedding.
for older folks like those currently suffering from dementia - try christmas carols or religious music played/sung during the big religious ceremonies.
i spent years thinking what sort of music i could play my great grandma, because what music was even there in the 1930s in rural poland? but the last christmas we had with her we put on some christmas carols, and she came back alive a little. it was magical
Oh that’s actually a known phenomenon music is a different part of the brain from speech for some reason. Lemme get on the computer with a keyboard I’ve got a few more fun comments…
Here’s a ballerina getting activated like a fucking sleeper agent to the score from Swan Lake. I’d also like to comment that the way she’s in the wheelchair and kinda slumped over to me suggests that the dementia has likely progressed enough that she’s having trouble walking (it even affects muscle memory, eventually she may even forget how to swallow) so the fact that music can activate her muscle memory anyway is pretty cool.
If you ever have a relative with dementia that requires caregivers that are not family or friends (nurses, home health aides, etc) please put together two music playlists for me (or spiritual me 😉):
If I don’t know what songs they like I’ll usually try whatever was popular in their demographic when they were 15-25y/o but that’s never gonna beat knowing the exact song they danced to at their wedding.
Thnx for reading! <3
for older folks like those currently suffering from dementia - try christmas carols or religious music played/sung during the big religious ceremonies.
i spent years thinking what sort of music i could play my great grandma, because what music was even there in the 1930s in rural poland? but the last christmas we had with her we put on some christmas carols, and she came back alive a little. it was magical
Oh for a lot of immigrants I do wind up resorting to folk music, and there’s a lot of overlap with hymns and other spiritual music.
You are amazing. I just want you to know that.
What you do makes a huge difference in someone’s life and you should be paid way more than you probably are.
LOL, from that description I knew what it would be before I clicked the link. Crazy video.
That video was incredible. Thank you very much for sharing it with me. I’m going to call my mom.