Music and Memory: US program playing tunes to help nursing home residents reawaken the soul
A US mental health program that uses the transformative power of music to help improve the lives of the elderly living with cognitive and physical impairments, is coming to Australia.
The Music and Memory project is widespread across the USA and Canada and now it will be brought to Australian in an effort to "reawaken the soul" with music.
The project started from humble beginnings, when founder Dan Cohen started to think how if he ended up in a nursing home, he would still like to listen to his own favourite music.
"We make our own playlists, so why not do it for our elders?" he told 702 ABC Sydney Afternoons with James Valentine.
"We don't think of it because they have never liked technology, so my thought is 'what do you love to listen to?"
Once the favourites were chosen, Mr Cohen said he took care of the technology side of things.
We make our own playlists, so why not do it for our elders?
Dan Cohen
Mr Cohen started volunteering in New York nursing homes, working alongside staff and family to create personalised playlists for residents to enjoy.
The initial reaction from clients was so positive, he invited a filmmaker to visit and record what happened when residents experienced music they loved.
That very first session became a viral video, as 92-year-old Henry Dryer — who suffered from dementia — "came alive" after listening to some of his beloved spiritual music.
These early breakthroughs became the basis for the feature documentary Alive Inside which was a surprise hit at the Sundance Film Festival and was screened across the globe.
The documentary followed Mr Cohen as he fought against a broken healthcare system to demonstrate music's ability to combat memory loss and restore a deep sense of self to those suffering from it.