Music and dementia, a positive yet realistic story from the CBC.

Needhelpwithmom,

Music is amazing. It's funny - I can remember listening to music when I was pregnant with both of our girls and they have both spent a great deal of time involved in the arts and I didn't even think about it - I just always needed something in the background at work or when I was cleaning - I have always just need background "noise". And I can remember as they were growing up and becoming teenagers - when a lot of parents hit the "turn the music down" stage - our house was a constant stream of music - anywhere from Broadway musicals to gospel to 80s music. Car Karaoke. Chorus concerts. High school musicals. All State Choruses.

And just this past weekend - my future Music Therapist got to sing the National Anthem with her college Women's choir at a Minor League baseball game.

There are times when I stand outside of her door and listen to what I think is her singing and I've opened her door to tell her to go to sleep....and she already is LOL.

I think Music is built into us. You can hear music in anything. I know she does. She can hear it in nature - the birds chirping and frogs croaking. She even hears it in dissonance - which I can barely tolerate!

And the most amazing thing - As you mentioned above about the woman with dementia and Swan Lake. My daughter isn't super comfortable speaking in front of crowds. She gets nervous and tends to retreat inside of herself and shut down somewhat. But if you give her a microphone and music and she's singing - she's an entirely different person. Its like she is at peace.

Music therapy has been her goal for a very long time. At least since middle school and she has never wavered. Which is pretty unusual to begin with - to know what you want to do that young. My oldest daughter -though she loves the arts, has flip flopped about what she wants for a career at least 4 times since starting college - and honestly it isn't shocking - its a time of experimenting and figuring out what you want to do. So for my youngest to be so set on this for so long - I feel like it is more like a calling for her than just a career choice - if that makes sense?

Blue,

I love your daughter’s spirit. She will be an inspiration to many people on the spectrum.

I know a young woman who has autism (Asperger’s syndrome) who is incredibly gifted in music. She has always loved music and sings beautifully. Music is therapeutic for all of us.

When you get the chance look at the YouTube video of the woman who has dementia and is in a wheelchair. She was a ballerina in her former years. When Swan Lake music was played for her she started doing her ballet moves with her arms that she did years ago. It’s a powerful video that shows how deeply music affects us.

My daughter is studying to be a Music Therapist. She wants to work with children on the Autism spectrum. But has talked about the potential for extending it to those with dementia as well. And those with PTS (formerly PTSD)

The irony - or most interesting part of her journey to finishing her degree to become a Music Therapist? She is 21 years old. She has always done incredibly well in school. As a small child she had to have speech therapy and her pediatrician diagnosed her with Sensory Processing Disorder. But beyond that - she excelled in everything she did - straight As, in an all Honor's program, took multiple AP classes. She did just as well in community college. But there was always something in the back of my mind as she got older - that she just didn't quite do things the way her friends or her sister did. I just attributed it to a different personality.

She came to me last year and asked me if I thought she could have Autism. I was caught off guard. I had never even considered it. I went into research mode. And everything fit. So we took her to have her assessed. And sure enough - she is on the spectrum. She is very "high functioning" which is not really the term they use anymore - I think it is Level 1 now. And has ADHD. But her ability to mask was over the top. Now that we are aware - she has been able to relax her masking some - and let her guard down. (as her mom - I had moments where I felt traumatized that I didn't realize it sooner, but I was advised that girls especially that have good coping/masking skills and are high performing are very often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed until they reach adulthood because they blend in very well or even seem to perform better than many of their peers)

That being said - what has helped her since she was a very small child - what helped her at her hardest times and her happiest times? MUSIC. It has a way of calming the spirit. It speaks to and for those who can't speak for themselves - its one of the reasons that Music Therapy is such a wonderful way to help those of all ages with Autism and the elderly with dementia. Music can break through walls and "speak to the soul" without having to necessarily engage the brain. Or it can engage the brain on a different level that doesn't take the same processing that speaking or other executive functions require.

It's probably pretty obvious that I'm a huge supporter of Music Therapy!

I have seen different articles on music and dementia. I do feel that music has a powerful influence.

Look at Tony Bennett. He would go out on stage and sing beautifully in the midst of having Alzheimer’s disease.

Have you seen the YouTube video with the woman in the nursing home with Alzheimer’s disease who was a ballerina in her younger years?

It is a very moving story. When the music from Swan Lake was played, she started dancing her ballet moves with her arms while she was sitting in her wheelchair. It was so sweet.

My Aunt was found playing the piano at her AL. She was well into her ALZ by then. As a child she could play by ear.