Every generation has its preferred music. In the 1920s, it
was classic jazz. In the 40s it was big-band swing. In the 50s it was modern
jazz, Elvis, and rock. In the 90s rap and hip-hop became popular. However, some
music, such as country and classical music does not seem to be bound to a
particular generation.
Whatever your generation is, you likely prefer that
generation's musical genre. As we age, we can find great comfort in listening
to the music of our generation, often accompanied with irritation at "that
terrible noise" of the current musical fad.
Most of us know from personal experience that certain music
is profoundly linked to personal memories. When we hear music from our past we
not only remember the music, we often remember associated places, events, and
people. This was an underlying theme of the highly acclaimed new movie, LA LA Land. If it is music we loved
then, we love it now, and it feels good to hear it again. Listening to your
favorite music combats the body's response to stress.
You don't even have to wait years for the benefit. I
remember in college, I got exposed to modern jazz as a freshman, and years
later as a graduate student got much relief from my academic stress from
listening to jazz records. Now 50 years later, jazz still has the same effect
on me. By the way, there is a formal scientific study showing that listening to
jazz raises body levels of the feel-good endorphins and of immunoglobulin,
which protects against infections.
Music has therapeutic value. The "right kind" of
music soothes our frazzled nerves. Some of that effect comes from the music's
rhythm. Biologically we are rhythmic creatures with all sorts of rhythms: heart
and breathing rates, hormone cycles, sleep cycles, mental alertness cycles, and
so on. Other musical benefits are emotional, for reasons that are sometimes
hard to explain.
For seniors with dementia, music is now becoming considered
as part of the therapy. A formal therapy program has been instituted by
MusicandMemory.org. I have no vested interest in this program, but it seems to
have the right idea and practical approach to helping demented patients. In
Alzheimer's Disease patients, for example, music can improve mood and thinking
ability and memory and reduce the need for psychotropic drugs.
A movie documentary, Alive Inside, is a story of
music and memory that illustrates that musical memory lasts longer than other
kinds of memory. Even in Alzheimer's and other dementias, favorite music
resurrects memories that help to reawaken patients, making them feel like
themselves again and socialize. Life is especially confusing to a demented
person, and musical favorites provide something interpretable and pleasurable. A
podcast is available at http://musicandmemory.org. There are over 3,000 Music
& Memory Care organizations in U.S., Canada, Australia, and Europe. The
program provides iPods and trains volunteers to help seniors listen to their
favorite music by creating a personalized iTunes play lists for iPods. The
Canadian affiliates report that the program helps people who have been silent
or less communicative, sad and depressed. and less mobile.
The organization
surveyed its care facilities staff in 2012 who said that personalized music:
·
brought more pleasure to patients (100% of the
staff respondents).
·
made their job of care easier (68% of the staff).
·
was effective for patients with depression (58%
of staff) and for patients with anxiety (71% of staff).
·
reduced the use of anti-psychotic medication
(53% of staff).
A review of the program by Monica Jacquez, of television
KXTV, quotes Casey Simon, one of the senior care staff, as saying that
"Music really makes everybody happy. It really does, and especially if you
hear a song from your past, it brings back those happy memories and puts you in
a place of happiness." Simon said the staff got inspired to host dance
parties.
The need is great for helping seniors to enjoy life. Loss of
happiness is widely experienced by seniors. Friends and spouse may have died.
Children may not need you anymore. Food no longer tastes as good. Aches and
pains seem to be everywhere in the body. Successful careers are over. The
problems may be compounded by having to live alone. Getting old is not for
wimps.
You haven't outgrown the music of your teenage years. You
just need reminding. So when you are down, bring out the CDS and tapes of your
favorite music. It's what I do―and it works!
Readers
of this column will be interested in "Memory Medic's" e-book,
"Improve Your Memory for a Healthy Brain. Memory Is the Canary in Your
Brain's Coal Mine" (available in all formats from Smashwords.com). The
book is devoted exclusively to memory issues in seniors.
Sources:
Fancourt, Daisy, Ockelford, Adam,
and Belai, Abi (2014). The psychoneuroimmunological effects of music: A
systematic review and a new model. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 36, 15-26.
Jacquez, Monica (2016). Music
program helps seniors with memory loss. ABC10 Connect. November 21. http://www.abc10.com/news/local/sacramento/new-music-program-helps-seniors-with-memory-loss/354733172
Thoma, Myriam V. et al. (2013). The effect
of music on the human stress response. PLoS One. 8(8): e70156. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070156
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