Does Music Help Alzheimer’s Patients?

In my experience, I have seen music sooth the behavior of individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease. Music is the universal language, and it affects people in indifferent ways. Studies have shown that music is processed by the brain differently from other information. As a musician, I play a piano jazz hour in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. At Christmas, I played a jazz hour in a facility that has Alzheimer’s patients. At the beginning of my jazz hour, the residents were quite agitated. By the end of the hour, they were all seated and quietly listening. They were either bored to death by my music, or liked it and were actually soothed by it. I hope to believe they liked it. I play jazz standards, many of which were written in the 30’s and 40’s. Many of the residents, who otherwise have lost much cognition could tell me the name of the tune I was playing, and what the tune related to in their lives. I remember a study some time ago, with four men in their 80’s who had played together in a New Orleans style jazz band for over 50 years. Several of them did not recognize each other or know each other’s names. But, on the count of three, they all picked up their instruments and played “When The Saints Come Marching Home” perfectly. “White noise” is also calming to Alzheimer’s patients. I hope my music is not in that category. You can read more about Alzheimer’s in my publication entitled “The Alzheimer’s Legal Survival Kit“, and on my web site at www.WalnutCreekElderLaw.com. Michael J. Young, Elder Law Attorney.