Alzheimer's Short Story
There was a man who had been mute for 3 or 4 years. This man was in his very late stages of Alzheimer’s suffering with dementia nonetheless. He could not live on his own whatsoever. He needed a high level of assistance in most, if not all, his daily activities. There wasn’t much hope left in this man, let alone treatments available, until one day a music therapist was provided. She sang old songs to him and to other patients, triggering back memories. These memories seemed to spark a light in this patients’ eyes and facial expression. Even this was a lot to ask for from a man in the condition he was in. After a month of singing an old Yiddish song to this silent man of 4 years, he attempted to speak. Later, he even began to sing along.
“He continued talking and lived for many years after that"(“Dementia”). This man went from being on the verge of dying, to somewhat of the man he used to be many years before this disease and state of mind took over his body.
“You are no longer aware of your own identity, let alone the identities of those whom you so loved before” (Abdul). This is but only one of the downfalls of an individual who is battling the stages of dementia. Memory loss, speech impediments, emotional outbursts; what can possibly help shape these elements into what they originally were? Science and medicine are the initial remedies that probably come to mind, however, what happens when thought is put in outside of the box? Music is the answer that researchers have overlooked for years, even though it had unceasingly been right in front of their eyes. Music used formally as therapy is still a recent phenomenon. It’s use in medicine initiated around the time of World War II to help soldiers who were suffering from shock and it has been continuously used since then. The first music therapy program was actually developed in Michigan at Michigan State University in 1944 (“American”). Neurologists since then have proven that “people with neurological damage learned to move better, remember more, and even regain speech through listening to and playing music” (“Dementia”). Dementia, nevertheless, is one of the many disorders in which music is a suffice treatment therapy. Music does wonders to an individual's life, and through it’s therapy, I will demonstrate how music significantly changes the lives of many, especially aging adults who are suffering with dementia.
“He continued talking and lived for many years after that"(“Dementia”). This man went from being on the verge of dying, to somewhat of the man he used to be many years before this disease and state of mind took over his body.
“You are no longer aware of your own identity, let alone the identities of those whom you so loved before” (Abdul). This is but only one of the downfalls of an individual who is battling the stages of dementia. Memory loss, speech impediments, emotional outbursts; what can possibly help shape these elements into what they originally were? Science and medicine are the initial remedies that probably come to mind, however, what happens when thought is put in outside of the box? Music is the answer that researchers have overlooked for years, even though it had unceasingly been right in front of their eyes. Music used formally as therapy is still a recent phenomenon. It’s use in medicine initiated around the time of World War II to help soldiers who were suffering from shock and it has been continuously used since then. The first music therapy program was actually developed in Michigan at Michigan State University in 1944 (“American”). Neurologists since then have proven that “people with neurological damage learned to move better, remember more, and even regain speech through listening to and playing music” (“Dementia”). Dementia, nevertheless, is one of the many disorders in which music is a suffice treatment therapy. Music does wonders to an individual's life, and through it’s therapy, I will demonstrate how music significantly changes the lives of many, especially aging adults who are suffering with dementia.