Dementia is a difficult and challenging degenerative condition that will affect one in 10 people. There is little that can be done to prevent it. It degrades brain functions, damaging memory, mood, and cognitive functions. And sadly, there is no cure for it.
The treatment of dementia is a complex problem, due to the nature of the damage it causes. Memories and sense of self erode. Some living with dementia don't even recognize their relatives.
However, people can live, and live well, with dementia, with mental stimulation and support helping them connect with their life story and precious memories. There's a new way this is happening right now, and it might surprise you...
It's the humble iPod.
It may sound strange, but music is an incredibly vital tool when it comes to supporting those living with dementia. It has been shown time and time again that when they are provided with music that was an important element in a person's life, they see a remarkable improvement. Memory improves. They become more lucid. They even become more communicative.
You may have already seen this video; It went viral a couple of years ago. It shows Harry, an old man living with Alzheimer's in a nursing home in the United States. When you first see him, you can see that he is not very well. He struggles to communicate, can't recognize his daughter and he is very withdrawn..
British-American neurologist Oliver Sacks describes Harry as “…Inert, perhaps depressed, unresponsive and almost lifeless” . But when they give him an iPod shuffle with some of his favorite music, mainly religious and biblical music, he is radically transformed..
He begins to sing, and to rock. His eyes widen. He is, as Sacks points out, almost “being animated by the music” . He is both remarkable and deeply moving..
What is especially interesting is what happens when the music is removed. Harry is now alert. He is communicative. Although at one point he answered in a few words, without sentences made up of very few words, he now answers questions in great detail. When he is asked if he likes music, he says: “...Yeah, I'm crazy about music. If you play beautiful music, beautiful sounds... Beautiful...” .
When asked an autobiographical question about his past ( “do you play music? Did you like music when you were young??” -he remembers, dementia damages memory), he answers affirmatively, and mentions going to dances ..
He may even remember his favorite singer from him as a child:Cab Calloway, a popular jazz singer in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s.
All this from nothing more than an iPod shuffle and carefully chosen music. So what is the science behind this phenomenon?
It's strange. The brain is the organ on which we depend most singularly. It defines who we are. Our personality, and our very being. But it is also the organ that we least understand..
It is for this reason that a cure, or at least a viable treatment for dementia, is so long overdue. We just don't understand the brain well enough .
But we do know something about the progression of dementia. Alzheimer's, especially, which accounts for about 70 percent of all dementia cases.
We know, for example, that although Alzheimer's can destroy our faculties of short-term recall, mood swings, and disorientation, our ability to appreciate and engage with music is one of the last remaining abilities. Neuroscientists are discovering the amazing effects of music on virtually every region of our brains 5 Things You Can Do in 5 Minutes to Exercise Your Brain 5 Things You Can Do in 5 Minutes to Exercise Your Brain Keeping your brain in tip-top shape requires you to challenge yourself on a regular basis. Surprisingly, you can do a lot in five minutes. Here are five things you can do for your mental health. Read more.
This is why music can have such a profound impact on the physical and emotional well-being of people living with dementia.
In the later stages of dementia, patients often lose the ability to share their emotions. They lose the ability to express their thoughts and feelings, and show gestures of affection to those they love..
But the ability to follow a rhythm and engage with the music remains. According to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, when music is played and a person living with dementia is allowed to “dance partner” with someone they know, it can evoke a caring and emotional response.
As we have already mentioned, dementia damages memories. But there are some songs that we associate closely with the most memorable and formative moments of our lives. When played, music can enable the person with dementia to recall these memories. According to Oliver Sacks:
No one calls music a cure-all. But it is something that is having a profoundly healing effect on the lives of people living with dementia. Consequently, there are charities in both the United States and the United Kingdom whose aim is to link people living with dementia with their own iPods. The iPod Classic:The Best MP3 Player For Music Lovers [Opinion] The iPod Classic:The Best MP3 Player For Music Lovers [Opinion] In 2001, the release of Apple's iTunes brought me back to listening to jazz, and some rap and R&B music. A few years earlier, I balked at paying $15... Read More I met the founder of one of those charities..
Outside of the US, the name Sally Magnusson might not ring a bell. But here, she is a household name. Throughout a long and acclaimed career, she has fronted several programs at the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), including Reporting Scotland , Breakfast time , and Praise Songs .
Magnusson herself is intimately familiar with the powerful effect of music on dementia, as her own mother was sadly diagnosed with the disease. It was then that she learned how music can be used to support those living with the disease, and even wrote about it in an acclaimed book. “Where the memories go - Why does dementia change everything?“.
So convinced was Magnusson of the power of music that she launched her own charity called Playlist for Life. The goal is to provide those living with dementia with their own personal music players and personal playlists. This, she says, has resulted in people. “accessing their musical past and rediscovering who they are one period at a time.”
Earlier this month, Magnusson launched its first online training program for family and professional caregivers of people living with dementia at Carlingwalk House, a care home in Castle Douglas, Scotland. The goal of the program is to teach the fundamentals of creating playlists that can evoke memories and promote well-being.
I was lucky enough to speak with Magnusson and learn more about how iPods are changing the lives of those living with dementia.
When I talked to Sally, I still had that video of Harry on my mind. I was curious if Playlist for Life had transformation highlights to share.
“To be honest, everyone is different. Everyone we've supported to develop a personal playlist has improved their lives in some way. It is easy to point out some dramatic effects. But it's a very person-centric thing, it differs from person to person.
Someone here at Carlingwalk said that the music she plays with her husband (his playlist of hers) makes him happier and more attentive. She even said that it makes him look better. Another person said:"When my wife has her music on, she sits more quietly and I can stroke her face. But other times (when she's not listening to music), she's more fidgety and I can't get close to her.
If this is maintained and offered on a regular basis, then there is an incredible uplifting and energetic effect.”
Magnusson personally saw the powerful effects of music when her mother was living with dementia..
“My mother was someone who was a warm and fun person. She always loved to sing and she had a great repertoire from her youth:the things she sang at parties and Hogmanays. As her dementia progressed, we found ourselves singing these songs with her. As she became more difficult to engage and comfort, the songs she was familiar with made her more engaged, and even allowed her to use words again.
There was so much going on in her brain that her music opened a window for him. That continued until her death. After she died and I was writing my book (Where Memories Go), I thought I'd study music and write a chapter about it. In doing this, I was amazed to discover how amazing this is, and what an impact scientists are finding on the brain.
As a result of that, I had to tell people. How do you get them music? This is where technology provides the answer. This is how you scale it. I took it out of there, and it exploded. The success and the number of people using it (Playlist for Life), has exploded.”
I wanted to know about the logistics of creating a playlist. Is there a song that repeatedly finds its way into these playlists?
“I'm not looking for that, because looking for that is the opposite. Everything is personal. It has to be the person first.”
So, I wanted to know, how are they created? How do you handle the technological aspect, especially for people who are not comfortable with technology?
“One of the biggest thrills is the idea that we can bring the benefits of modern technology to the generation that has lost it the most. This is a generation that, in general, lost in the mobile phone .
Technology is only a barrier if you let it be. We just released a DVD for families that explains the process and the technology. We also have a strong emphasis on engaging youth. Get them to do things and show the spouse of the person with dementia how to use technology.
The other thing we insist on is that a playlist should have a lot of thought put into its compilation. We hope everyone thinks about their Playlist for Life now, not when dementia hits..
For those with dementia who can't explain the music they care about, there's some detective work to do. Once you have the answers to this playlist, you can start building it.”
Right now Playlist for Life is working on its own mobile app. This app will not only be an avenue for music that matters, although it will certainly contain that. Instead, it will be that person's digital identity, containing photos, videos, and autobiographical data. These can be created at the time of diagnosis, reducing the number of memories that are lost.
Dementia damages the ability to communicate. This app, when released, will contain information on how each person communicates non-verbally (for example, indicating when they are hungry), allowing them to live with a higher degree of dignity.
The development of the app has been made possible through grants from the Edinburgh and Lothian Health Foundation and the Ena and Gordon Baxter Foundation. They are building it in collaboration with Glasgow Caledonian University, and it will be based on rigorous research and tested with carefully selected subjects living with dementia.
But the basics of this app will inevitably focus on music. The evolution of music consumption:how we got here. The evolution of music consumption:how we got there. The rise of the iPod, the mobile phone with music and a series of transmissions. All media platforms point towards a simple and simple idea:music is important. But how do we get here? Read more.
After reading about the power of music, if you know someone living with dementia, you may be tempted to compile your own playlist. If so, there is a guide worth following to create the most effective listening experience.
First, make sure the music matters to the person listening. According to Playlist for Life, the most effective playlists are the ones that mean something to the listener. It must be only personal to make it work.
Is this personal Nature of music that triggers autobiographical memories, and has the most important therapeutic qualities. To achieve this, here are some helpful tips for creating a truly personal playlist.
First, when the music is from it is Really important. Research suggests that we generally form close ties to music when we are young, usually between our teens and early twenties. Although, it is worth noting that this is not an absolute. Music from before and after that period of someone's life can still be important.
When you think of music, don't just think of popular songs . Consider theme tunes from the person's favorite movies, TV shows, and radio shows. If the person was religious, consider the hymns of the church. If the person fought in the war, consider adding some war tunes.
But above all, don't be afraid to see what works through trial and error. As a result of the degenerative nature of dementia, it can be difficult to figure out which songs are important. Very often you can't ask the person. Don't be afraid to test songs before sending them to the playlist.
The easiest and most obvious way to do it is with Spotify Spotify Music Streaming:The Unofficial Guide. Spotify Music Streaming:The Unofficial Guide. Spotify is the biggest music streaming service out there. If you're not sure how to use it, this guide will walk you through the service and offer some crucial tips. Read More, which has a catalog of songs dating back to the early 20th century. Apple iTunes also lets you listen to a 90-second sample of songs and has a large and impressive catalog going back decades.
Some early music has passed into the public domain. These can be found at Archive.org (also known as the Internet Archive) 5 Kinds of Free Content Wealth You Can Unearth at the Internet Archive 5 Kinds of Free Content Wealth You Can Unearth at the Internet Archive The Internet Archive keeps a variety of old content alive on the Web for the future. What kind of content can you unearth and why should you care? Let's find out. Read More) and YouTube, and you can download them freely.
Once you've created your playlists, you'll want to structure them in the most effective way. The Playlist for Life guide suggests that the best playlists aren't too short, but they aren't too long, either. The ideal length for a playlist is between 70 and 100 songs.
Ideally, the playlist would have a variety of artists. Discover new music by mapping music genres and artists Discover new music by mapping music genres and artists Music mapping is not as strange as it may seem. In the same way that locations can be charted, so can music genres and artists, with one style feeding the next, a band... Read More It's best to have no more than five to seven songs from a single artist. The only exception is unless you are absolutely certain Each one has a deep and personal relationship with the listener..
So how often should you listen to your playlist? According to Playlist For Life, it's all about playing it in structured and responsive intervals.
It is also important to remember that playing music for someone living with dementia may produce a reaction that is not entirely positive.
People who were previously unaware of their surroundings may find themselves unfavorable in an environment they do not recognize, as their cognitive abilities improve. They may cry, fuss, or otherwise become agitated. If that happens, the advice is to stop listening to the music and be with the person as much as possible to ease the transition.
As Playlist for life says:
Music is nearly universal, with most cultures throughout history enjoying some form of music. It is a presence that remains with us throughout our lives, and the bonds we make with it are deep and almost unbreakable. As we have discovered, these bonds are so firm that even insanity cannot break them.
It is truly amazing to see how something as simple as music can have such an impact on the lives of people living with dementia. And it's all thanks to the dedication of organizations like Playlist for Life, which is helping to improve lives.
The beauty of this therapy is that it's incredibly cheap to implement, easily scalable, and doesn't require any special training or education. You simply need to know about a person's favorite songs. Perhaps it will eventually become a common and accepted way of treating dementia, as used in hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes around the world.
Do you have a story about the therapeutic power of music? What do you think of Playlist for Life and the work it is doing to ease the pain associated with dementia? Please share any thoughts you have on the subject in the comments below.
