2023-12-10 11:54:22
Where words fail, music speaks. It is a phrase from Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish language virtuoso and short story writer to whom we owe many of the learnings and memories of our childhood. Music has the power to move us, communicate or empower us. Also, as Andersen pointed out, to speak where words fail or, in the case of people with Alzheimer’smemories.
For these reasons, music has become an important ally in the daily life of nursing homes. The use of musical instruments in prehistoric cultures is known, but only in recent decades when the use of musical instruments has been consolidated. therapeutic role of music. What is known as music therapy is also one of the residents’ favorite activities, as they explain from Orpea.
In the Orpea residences, musical therapy is used in workshops that generally promote mental, physical and emotional health of the elderly. Sound, rhythm, melody and harmony are used, specifically, to facilitate and promote communication, expression, social relationships, movement and relaxation.
That is, music to improve health, but also to promote the well-being of the elderly, since the songs connect them with specific moments from their past and/or produce pleasant sensations. Hence, the sessions are personalized according to the condition of the residents, their needs, their tastes and preferences, so you can work with them individually or in groups.
An intermediate formula is designed, say Orpea therapists, for people who have severe cognitive impairment. It combines improvisation, the recognition and use of instruments, the association of sounds with movements and body expression through dance. «How music helps residents with Alzheimer’s Furthermore, in the case of Alzheimer’s it has been proven that music is the most effective vehicle for awaken memories y promote evocations. It also allows those affected by this disease to experience moments of connection and lucidity, which powerfully influences their sense of identity.”
Also relevant is the reduction of behavioral alterations and agitated psychological states of some residents, since it facilitates expression and, therefore, communication. People rely on music to express their mood, their pain, their sensations.
Thus, and in conclusion, we can use quotes once more to reflect the great power of music. Somewhat closer in time, the Jamaican singer Bob Marley said: “When the music reaches you you don’t feel pain.”
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