3 Ways Music Benefits Seniors in Memory Care
Music plays an important part in most people’s lives, young and old alike. Music can help enhance celebrations, it can help motivate people to move their bodies through dance or other exercises, and it can aid us in feeling emotions that we are struggling through during our lives. Not only does music bring joy and pleasure to most everyone, but it can also help those with memory issues connect with the past and enjoy the present moment by listening to songs that may trigger memories or songs that are just enjoyable at the time of listening.
For people who are caring for loved ones with memory issues, music can be a great way to connect with your loved one when it seems impossible through other means. For people with Alzheimer’s disease, the brain’s pathways that process music memories are largely unaffected by the disease, and so listening to music that triggers memories can be an amazing way to communicate with your aging loved one. The memory care experts in Arizona at BridgeWater Assisted Living list below three ways in which music benefits their residents.
1. Relieve Stress Through Music
Music can help reduce stress in many ways. When caring for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most difficult situations is when they are agitated and unable to communicate why or what they need to help them calm down. Playing music can help distract your distressed loved one and lighten the mood for everyone involved. Putting on a song that triggers happy memories from the past can calm your loved one or playing calming music during more difficult tasks such as bath time or mealtime can really help your loved one stay relaxed and more able to focus on the task at hand with less anxiety.
2. Exercise With Music
Music can be a great way to help your loved one stay active and move their body regularly. Put on a song that gets your loved one moving and move along with them. Dancing can help maintain their coordination, and it can even help promote a better night’s sleep. Getting their body moving can also help keep their heart healthy, reduce muscle and joint pains, and help improve their balance. Walking to music can be another wonderful way to connect with your loved one while promoting healthy activities.
3. Connect With Your Loved One
One of the most heartbreaking things caretakers must deal with when caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease is the inability to communicate with or connect with their loved one. Your loved one is there in physical form, but their personality grows less and less strong as time goes on. Music is a great way to bond with your aging loved one. Singing along to songs with them or dancing to a song they enjoy can help you connect with your family member in ways that are otherwise difficult when caretaking for those with Alzheimer’s disease.
For more information about memory care in Arizona and how you can help your loved one, contact BridgeWater Assisted Living today.