Music & Memory offers a valuable program that enables libraries to expand their support for older adults affected by dementia and other physical and cognitive challenges. By incorporating Music & Memory into their existing services, libraries can enhance their role as essential community resources, providing targeted support not only to individuals with dementia but also to their caregivers. The transformative effects of personalized playlists are highlighted in our MUSIC & MEMORY® at Home video. It showcases the profound impact on individuals as they reconnect with music that holds personal significance, rekindling joy and sparking engagement. This connection offers a comforting, […]

Meet Trish, a participant in the Music & Memory program at the Dementia Care and Education Campus in Phoenix, Arizona—a true ball of sunshine. Trish has diverse musical tastes, but her absolute favorite is Andy Williams. Just mentioning his name or showing his picture brings a warm smile to her face. Trish has always been a dancer, and even as her disease progresses, she continues to express that passion, albeit in different ways. You can often find her clapping or tapping her toes to her favorite songs. Sometimes, Trish becomes agitated, particularly after meals in the busy dining room. Offering [...]

Music can enhance quality of life and well-being by creating a more dynamic, engaging and therapeutic environment. This is especially true for those living with dementia or another type of physical or cognitive loss. Here is a list of our favorite apps that can help practitioners and caregivers support music engagement. Vera Pro is designed specifically for older adults and those with dementia. It offers familiar music playlists that are curated to stimulate memories and emotions. The app’s intuitive interface makes it easy for caregivers to use, helping to create a soothing and familiar environment through music. Spiritune combines music therapy principles […]

Meet Adrienne, who participates in the Music & Memory Program at the Oak Hammock Continuing Care Retirement Community in Gainesville, Florida. Some of her all time favorite songs include “Lollipop” by the Chordettes, "How Much was that Doggie in the Window” by Patti Page and “String of Pearls” by Glen Miller. There are times when Adrienne's anxiety makes it difficult for her to stay positive, but listening to her favorite music always puts her at ease. Thanks to generous donors and supporters, the lives of Adrienne and seniors just like her benefit from being a part of the Music & [...]

For Phil Morrison, finding people’s favorite music is both a challenging and rewarding experience. “I consider myself a music detective,” says Phil, a Music & Memory Volunteer at the Oak Hammock Continuing Care Retirement Community in Gainesville, Florida. “For most people, I start with the year they were born, then I usually play snippets of songs that they were likely exposed to as young people, looking for positive responses and trying to establish which genres they relate to the most. I also try to find out how the music can help them by working with their caregivers. Are they anxious? Are they [...]

Meet Brett, who participates in the Music & Memory program at the Dementia Alliance of North Carolina. Brett is living with dementia and experiences anxiety, making it difficult for him to stay calm throughout the day and connect with others. However, when he listens to his personalized music playlist, he becomes much calmer and is able to enjoy activities such as watching football with his sister and primary caregiver, Debee. Thanks to generous donors and supporters, the lives of Brett and seniors just like him benefit from being a part of the Music & Memory program.  They’ve all been able to: Receive [...]

Meet Carol, who participates in the Music & Memory program at Santa Marta Retirement Community in Olathe, Kansas.  Carol is every bit the social butterfly, and music is a big part of why she is so happy. Before joining the Music & Memory program, Carol experienced anxiety that made it difficult to connect with others, but when listening to her favorite music, she can leave her worries behind and enjoy her day.  Carol is very fond of Doris Day, Johnny Cash, and “the king himself”,  Elvis Presley.  Two of her favorite songs are “You Are My Sunshine” and “Sentimental Journey”, [...]

We’re so excited to be launching a new campaign, Music is Medicine, with recording artist BRÏAH!!! Her latest song, “If The Sky Should Fall,” was inspired by her own experience with three of her grandparents battling Alzheimer’s, and how music is bringing comfort to them. Alongside the launch, BRÏAH is releasing an animated music video for “If the Sky Should Fall”, with the purpose of educating the world about the healing power of music. Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfI9RFsH4aU Learn more: www.musicandmemory.org/musicismedicine #musicismedicine #briah #musicandmemory #letsmakeasoundwave Extending the Reach of Therapeutic Music As the world increasingly recognizes the profound impact of […]

We hope you’ll take a moment to watch the Fund for NYC Health + Hospitals’ short film, Healing with Harmony: A Music & Memory Story, which beautifully captures Music & Memory’s positive impact on residents and staff. We find this film so inspiring because it captures the lengths that staff will go to bring comfort and joy to the people they support. These are the heroes who work hard every day to create environments that are sensitive to residents’ needs and ensure that they all receive the care they deserve. As we gear up for our end-of-year fundraising campaign, we want you […]

We are so grateful to be honored by our partner, the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, at the upcoming event, Music Has Power®, on November 20th, 2023, at the Times Center in New York City, and we hope you can join us for this exciting event, which will feature live music performances and celebrity guest speakers. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available on their website, and if you’re unable to attend in person, you can still join us by live streaming the event via their Facebook page. We hope to see you there! The Music Has Power® Awards is the signature event […]

On Thursday, August 10th, 2023, Wartburg will be hosting Conversations in Dementia Care and Decision-Making. RSVP to join this FREE virtual event!

Meet Ruth, who participated in the Music & Memory Program at Pickering Manor in Newtown, Pennsylvania until she was 103 years old. Her all time favorite song was the broadway hit, 'On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)', and listening to it always brought back memories of sailing with her family. There were times when Ruth's hearing loss made it difficult and frustrating for her to communicate with others, but when listening to her favorite music she would instantly connect and smile ear to ear, belting out the lyrics for all to enjoy. The truth is, Ruth is not [...]

Meet Fran, who participates in the Music & Memory program at the Alzheimer’s Outreach Program (AOP), a free community service offered by Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital in Grass Valley, California. Fran has an infectious smile and laugh, and a spirit of youthfulness inspired by her years as an elementary school teacher. She enjoys listening to music very much, and loves to revisit the songs the helped to define her life; particularly her favorite church hymns and country artists. Fran is living with dementia, which makes it difficult for her to communicate with others, but she continues to exude a positive [...]

This segment, which aired on Scripps News, features Music & Memory Board Member, Concetta M. Tomaino, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, and focuses on the power of music and how it can help improve quality of life for people living with dementia and other types of physical and cognitive loss. 

Join us Music & Memory Board Member, Concetta M. Tomaino, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, Thursday, April 13, from 1 PM – 2 PM ET, for AFA’s Care Connection webinar: “Improving Quality of Life with Music-Based Interventions.” #Music is not just entertainment. Dr. Tomaino will speak about the profound effect of personalized music in recalling and re-experiencing #memories. Learn how applying musical interventions can support people with #alzheimers, and their #caregivers, by decreasing difficult behaviors. Learn more/ register at: https://lnkd.in/eJ8gQ-fP #caregiversupport#alzheimerscare#dementiacare

Meet Amy, who participates in the Music & Memory program at Elkins Rehabilitation and Care Center, in Elkins, West Virginia. Before joining the program, Amy would sometimes experience anxiety which made it difficult for her to enjoy her day.  But when listening to her favorite music, she is much happier, especially when enjoying her Broadway favorites like the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack. The truth is, Amy is not alone. There are millions of Americans, like Amy, living in long-term care facilities who face cognitive and physical difficulties, having left behind their familiar surroundings, familiar faces, and even their special [...]

I'd like to tell you the story of Jay Hickerson, a talented and popular entertainer who brought the healing power of music to residents in nursing homes for over 25 years. Like many musicians, Jay was passionate about helping others, and used his considerable talents to reach people. In the late 1980's, Jay began playing at the Whitney Center, a not-for-profit senior living community in Hamden, Connecticut, where his mother was a resident. After his performance, he was quickly asked to return. Before long, word of mouth took over and Jay was in demand at many Connecticut nursing homes, eventually performing at over 100 retirement [...]

Meet Gordon, who participates in the Music & Memory program at the Thomson-Hood Veterans Center in Wilmore, Kentucky. Before joining the program, Gordon would often become agitated and refuse care and medication, but when listening to his personalized music playlist, he became much happier and found it easier to engage with others. Gordon loves listening to his crooner favorites like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, and whenever he has his music he always sings along with a smile that lights up the room! While Gordon has access to his favorite music, many seniors are less fortunate. There are millions of [...]

Meet John, who participates in the Music & Memory program at the Thomson-Hood Veterans Center in Wilmore, Kentucky.  John was a pilot, and he’s flown all around the world for the military. He loves Big Band music, and when he hears songs by his favorite musicians, such as Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, or Tommy Dorsey, he sways and moves like he’s dancing on the dance floor – even when he’s sitting down. Listening to Big Band brings deep smiles of enjoyment to John’s face. When he hears the music, sometimes he gets tears of joy in his eyes, [...]

Meet Connie, who participated in the Music & Memory program at Harbor House in Oyster Bay, New York. When Connie first arrived at the program, it was difficult for her to communicate with family and staff, but when she was listening to her favorite music, she was filled with joy, and was able to sing along and remember every word. Connie was especially passionate about her favorite Italian artists, including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Jimmy Roselli, and from the moment she turned on the music and put on her headphones, she became her old self: she was happy, smiled [...]

Meet Drew, who participates in the Music & Memory program at the Mountain View Lodge in British Columbia, Canada. Before joining the program, Drew would often lose interest in activities or conversations with others, and was easily distracted. But when listening to his favorite music, he became calmer and found it easier to connect with others. Drew is in his thirties and quite young compared to other residents, and listening to his favorite pop and rap music helps him feel more connected with moments from his generation. Did you enjoy this story? Please take a moment to share why you [...]

As we get older our medical and care needs increase. In the U.S., 70% of Americans who reach age 65 will need long-term services and support. Based upon those projections a national shortage of 151,000 care workers by 2030, and a 355,000-caregiver shortfall by 2040 in the US alone. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is predicting a 16% growth in the demand for healthcare services by 2032 and a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians that same year. So what can the population of people who will be most in need of physician care and caregiving services look [...]

Since our founding, we have constantly looked for ways to improve and expand the services we provide to those most vulnerable. While the need to reach those living in residential health care settings is great, 70% of the 5 million Americans with dementia are being cared for at home by family members who do their best to cope with the daily challenges of the disease. For many people with dementia, getting the support necessary to promote optimal quality of life while living alone at home can be a challenge. To meet this need, Music & Memory expanded the scope of […]

As part of Music & Memory’s anniversary, we recognize the vital role that volunteers play in helping our program succeed. Since the beginning, champions of our program have advocated and promoted the benefits of personalized music, often bringing news of the Music & Memory program directly to care organizations. Today, thousands of dedicated individuals give their time and energy to help support our network of Music & Memory certified organizations in a number of different ways. Many of our most passionate advocates volunteer their time at local Music & Memory programs, often working alongside certified staff to maintain equipment, create […]

When Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services (DHS) decided to implement Music & Memory’s personalized music program in 100 long-term care facilities in September 2013, officials were hopeful that the initiative would improve residents’ quality of life. But they had no idea just how significant the improvements might be. One year later, the evidence was persuasive: Wisconsin had moved from tenth to fourth place among all 50 states in a national effort to reduce use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes. Before the state’s Music & Memory initiative, across all nursing homes in the second quarter of 2013, 17.4 percent of […]

It’s hard to believe it’s been over ten years since the Henry video went viral, capturing the attention of news outlets worldwide and culminating in a Sundance Award winning documentary, Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory. Henry Dryer, who loved jazz and Cab Calloway, and who’s favorite song was Nat King Cole’s Unforgettable, transforms in the video while listening to his favorite music, revealing himself as a passionate believer in the power of music, even as he is brought back by the very same songs he loves so much. In the film, Alive Inside: A Story of Music […]

Music & Memory is an organization that celebrates little moments. A loving smile, a flash of recognition, the squeeze of a hand, the twinkle of an eye, a brief sing-along… these things mean something to us. We are always grateful for such gentle moments of connection, and particularly grateful for the ever-growing understanding that music is the key, the gift that unlocks those remarkable little moments. For twelve years now, since 2010, Music & Memory has been inspiring those moments, and on our upcoming anniversary, we’re proud that our early commitment to bringing personalized music playlists to people with dementia […]

In this episode of Tuscan Talks, Music & Memory Board Member, Concetta M. Tomaino, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, discusses scientific applications of music therapy, therapeutic relationship between music and the brain, and implementation of music to care for your loved one. A pioneer in the field of music therapy, Dr. Concetta Tomaino is both the Executive Director and co-founder of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF) and formerly Senior Vice President for Music Therapy at CenterLight Health System, (formerly Beth Abraham Family of Health Services). Internationally known for her research in the clinical applications of music and neurologic rehabilitation, Dr. Tomaino […]

Concetta Tomaino, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, a pioneer in the field of music therapy, will speak with Being Patient (beingpatient.com) about the neuroscience behind music therapy for dementia and other neurological conditions. Join us to learn more about Tomaino’s collaboration with the late neurologist Oliver Sacks in cofounding the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, and to hear her expert advice on effective music therapy for people living with dementia and their families. Wednesday February 23rd at 11:00 AM PST / 2:00 PM EST

Music & Memory is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF), the organization founded by Music & Memory Board Member, Dr. Concetta Tomaino, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, and Dr. Oliver Sacks. Working more closely with the IMNF is helping Music & Memory deepen its support to organizations who raise questions that are more clinical in nature; for example, questions related to music and people who have suffered a stroke, or who have Parkinson’s. Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a […]

Featuring Music & Memory Board Member and Executive Director of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, Concetta M. Tomaino, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, this special 2-hour virtual symposium will cover the benefits and uses of music for improving brain and emotional health and treating neurological issues. Thursday, January 22, 2022 3:30pm EST / 12:30pm PST

Lorenzo may have moments of appearing withdrawn and may retreat back to his room but once the music starts, his mood makes a complete turn around and his body doesn’t stop moving rhythmically to the music. Lorenzo is a proud Jamaican man with a kind heart and a love of Reggae music; he knows every word to Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’. When he's listening his smile is infectious, and one can’t help but dance right along with him. Even in his quiet time Lorenzo is enjoying his music. Thanks to generous donors and supporters, the lives of Lorenzo and [...]

Meet Carmelo, who participates in the Music & Memory program at the Cobble Hill Health Center in Brooklyn, New York. Carmelo is proud of his Italian heritage and never misses an opportunity to share a funny joke. He loves music of various genres but is especially fond of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and Enrico Caruso, just to name a few. Listening to familiar music transports him to a place where he is less restless and emotional. He may struggle to recall the location of his room and sometimes become frustrated trying to organize his thoughts but Carmelo beams [...]

Dr. Concetta M. Tomaino, DA, LCAT, MT-BC is at the very top of the field of music therapy. She is internationally known for her research in the clinical applications of music and neurologic rehabilitation, and her work has been featured in television and literature. Join Open Arts host Paddy as he sits down with Dr. Tomaino and learns about her cutting edge research into music and its relationship to memory. Music & Memory Board Member, Concetta M. Tomaino, DA, LCAT, MT-BC is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function and was Senior Vice President […]

Meet Terri Lee, a participant in the Music & Memory program at Beatitudes Campus senior living community in Phoenix, Arizona. When Terri first arrived at Beatitudes, she brought her beloved terrier Patches to help her to settle into the new environment. Terri often said she did not know what she would do without him. Over time, Terri noticed she was becoming forgetful…did she take Patches for a walk, feed him, or give him his favorite peanut butter treats? After a few months of consideration and a lot of discussion with her family, it was decided that Patches should go to stay […]

A new study by researchers at the University of Toronto (U of T) and Unity Health Toronto has demonstrated that listening to favorite music can induce beneficial brain plasticity in patients with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease. Investigators say the results support personalized, music-based interventions for people with dementia.  Fourteen participants completed the music-based intervention, including six musicians and eight non-musicians, who underwent MRI scans before and after listening sessions to assess changes in brain functioning.  When listening to favorite music associated with important personal milestones, such as their wedding song, participants’ brains showed signs of engagement in […]

Meet Kathy, who participates in the Music & Memory program at the Morgan City Health Care Center in Morgan City, Louisiana. Before joining the Music & Memory program, Kathy experienced episodes of agitation, pain, and distress, but when she was given her music, she was immediately distracted from her discomfort and became visibly happier. Now whenever she’s listening to her favorite songs, she brings joy to those around her by singing, dancing, and being the happy spirit she is. An investment in Music & Memory is an investment in the well-being of elders like Kathy. Thanks to our community of […]

Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz and traditional pop singer. As Anderson Cooper reported on 60 Minutes, the music legend spent his final years living with Alzheimer’s disease. On any given day, Tony would forget a lot about his past life, but when on stage performing his favorite music, the beloved songs that accompanied him through more than seven decades of American life, the singer that millions knew and loved, returned. There are millions of Americans, like Tony, living with some form of dementia. At present there […]

You’re invited to Remembering the Past, Living in the Moment: Innovative Activities for People with Dementia, featuring Music & Memory Board Member, Ann Wyatt. Attendees will learn more about the Music & Memory program and how favorite music can make a big difference for people living with cognitive loss during the aging process. GREENDALE PUBLIC LIBRARY (Greendale, WI) Event Type: Hybrid: Live & Zoom When: Tuesday, Sept. 21st, 12:30am-2pm EST Where: Library Lower Level Also presenting will be TimeSlips. Timeslips invites connections through creativity as bodies and minds change with age.  Memory Cafes provide a safe, supportive environment where people can […]

Join us in attending Just Ask Dr.Macie, featuring Music & Memory Board Member, Concetta M. Tomaino, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, as they discuss Music & Memory and the power of favorite music. The interview will air live on YouTube and Facebook on Tuesday, June 1st, to open up Alzheimer’s Awareness month. Just Ask Dr.Macie Tuesday, June 1, 2021 Livestream YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/JustAskDrMacie Facebook: www.facebook.com/drmaciep For more information about the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, visit https://www.imnf.org/

Are you interested in learning more about the connection between music and our brains? Join us for a spirited presentation led by Music & Memory Program Director, Justin Russo, and Music & Memory Board Member, Ann Wyatt, as they discuss the organization Music & Memory and how they use personalized music playlists to improve quality of life for people who are aging and living with dementia or other types of cognitive loss. Music and Memory: A Virtual Amica Event Thursday, May 27th, 2021 2:30pm EST Call Sarah to RSVP and receive a link to join: (613) 233-6363    

This Sunday, May 23rd, 9-10am EST, join us in attending the ReneMarie Stroke of Luck Show, featuring Music & Memory Board Members Concetta M. Tomaino, DA,LCAT, MT-BC, and Ann Wyatt, as they discuss Music & Memory and the therapeutic benefits of listening to favorite music. The ReneMarie Stroke of Luck Show is a weekly broadcast offered to inspire those that have been challenged by aphasia caused by a stroke or other traumatic brain injury. For more information, visit: https://www.renemariestrokeoflucktv.com/ The ReneMarie Stroke of Luck Show on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/Ren%C3%A9Marie-Stroke-of-Luck-TV-Show-2047497138805681 Dr. Tomaino is internationally known for her research in the clinical applications […]

Texas has decreased its use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing facilities by 58 percent – more than any other state, according to a report from the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes. Efforts to decrease antipsychotic use included the implementation of the Music & Memory program, which was launched in 2015 as a pilot program in nursing facilities and at HHSC’s state supported living centers and Austin State Hospital in 2016. Since then, more than 1,000 nursing homes across Texas have taken part in the HHSC Music & Memory program. For more information on their success, visit the HHS […]

Join Us for a Free Screening of Fast-Forward, a Film About Aging If you see your family’s future, would you change anything? Fast-Forward, a documentary film narrated by Rosario Dawson and featuring Music & Memory, follows four millennials and their parents as they travel through time to meet their future selves. Wearing an MIT-produced *aging empathy suit* and working with professional make-up artists, they grapple with the realizations, conversations and mindset required to age successfully. On behalf of Music & Memory, we would like to thank you for participating in the Fast-Forward documentary screening and the March 26th Q&A session […]

If you’re feeling more stressed and anxious these days — or during the past year — you’re far from alone. The reality of the current health crisis has been tough on us all. But for seniors living in COVID-19 isolation, these conditions can be dangerous. Numerous studies have shown that loneliness and social isolation in adults over sixty years in age can lead to functional decline and increase the risk of early death by more than twenty percent. But there is a way to help. Music can both improve quality of life and care experiences. Room 217 is a social […]

Last year, the world confronted staggering new public health and economic crises fueled by the coronavirus outbreak. But for many people, the pandemic also highlighted the vulnerabilities and challenges facing older adults and their caretakers even under the best of circumstances. And at a time when even quick excursions were often off-limits for high-risk senior citizens, the question of helping older adults who are homebound or living in isolation to stay calm and engaged became increasingly urgent. Specifically designed for older adults, caregivers and families, n*gram health delivers therapeutic virtual experiences to improve quality of life. These experiences involve immersive […]

Save the Date! Music & Memory will be participating in #GivingTuesday on December 1, 2020. #GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past nine years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. This #GivingTuesday, Music & Memory will be raising funds to provide access to personalized music to those living in isolation as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Numerous studies have shown that loneliness and social isolation in adults over sixty years in […]

Is there someone in your life that would benefit from the power of personalized music? Creating a personalized playlist remotely is a great way to bring people together during the holidays while also keeping loved ones at a safe social distance. We recommend connecting online, via video conference or by phone, and working together to discover the music most beloved by the person in your care. To ensure it’s highly personalized for greatest impact, try to find top songs from when they were 15-25 years old. When the playlist is finished, we suggest offering it for 30 minutes at a […]

Isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for residents of long term care. Numerous studies have shown that loneliness and social isolation in adults over sixty years in age can lead to functional decline and increase the risk of early death by more than twenty percent. Now more than ever, personalized music can make it easier for them to stay connected and improve quality of life. Personalized music is a simple, yet powerful means of supporting the well-being of those living in residential care, and calming any feelings of isolation or disconnection. Familiar, comforting music is integral to […]

Personalized music is a simple, yet powerful means of supporting the well-being of those in your care.  Join us in attending The Healing Power of Music, a free Facebook Live Program presented in cooperation with the Friends of CenterLight Foundation and the Institute for Music and Neurological Function to learn more about how you can use music to improve someone’s quality of life, and the cost and quality of their care.  Featuring Music & Memory board member and co-founder of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, Dr. Concetta Tomaino, this 1-hour online presentation will introduce ways that caregivers can […]

We are truly saddened to hear of the passing of Dr. Peter Davies. Not only did his research help Music & Memory understand the intricacies of Alzheimer’s disease but his championship for the quality of life of those living with dementia made him a strong ally of music therapy and music based programs to help those with cognitive impairments.  Dr. Davies was an early friend and supporter of Music & Memory, and a member of our Medical and Scientific Advisory Council. He was a wonderful, generous and brilliant man who will be missed.  Our condolences to his family. Visit Dr. […]

In the most comprehensive study of its kind on the effects of the Music & Memory program, researchers from the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis found that personalized music is associated with a reduction in the amount of antipsychotic medication taken by nursing home residents and fewer distressed behaviors. The results are published in the Journal for Post-acute and Long-term Care Medicine (JAMDA) MUSIC & MEMORY® is a non-profit organization that creates personalized music playlists for individuals in nursing homes and other long-term care organizations, who suffer from a wide range of cognitive and physical challenges, […]

We are so grateful to those who are faithfully providing care for those living in long term care organizations during the COVID-19 crisis. Your work is deeply appreciated. The seriousness of the situation for those who depend on the comforts of daily routines and visits from loved ones in otherwise normal times can not be underestimated, and the new protocols brought about by this crisis present unique emotional challenges to our most vulnerable populations. Personalized music is a simple, yet powerful means of supporting the well-being of those in your care, and calming any feelings of isolation or disconnection. Familiar, […]

To our healthcare professionals and those working on the front lines of this crisis, we can’t thank you enough. As more organizations are looking for in room activities to help reduce isolation and distress, Music & Memory is working harder than ever to ensure that our certified organizations remain connected and equipped with the best resources and training for providing personalized music where it’s needed most. We want to share our gratitude by offering discounts and extensions on our provided services, and we have several immediate resources available to the public — including free guides and music playlists on our website — […]

Music & Memory is an organization that celebrates little moments. A loving smile, a flash of recognition, the squeeze of a hand, the twinkle of an eye, a brief sing-along… these things mean something to us. We are always grateful for such gentle moments of connection, and particularly grateful for the ever-growing understanding that music is the key, the gift that unlocks those remarkable little moments. For ten years now, since January 2010, Music & Memory has been inspiring those moments. On our anniversary, we’re proud that our early commitment to bringing personalized music to people with Alzheimer’s or dementia [...]

Immersed in fog. That’s how Brian LeBlanc describes his bouts of confusion from Alzheimer’s. “Imagine you’re driving down a road on a beautiful fall day,” he says. “The sun is shining, the trees are orange and purple. You come to a bend in the road and, all of a sudden, you hit a fog bank. Your natural reaction is to slow down, creep along. I can be doing anything, and all of a sudden this fog comes in and takes over my brain. I can still see, but I can’t make sense of it all.” Diagnosed five years ago at […]

At the State Supported Living Center (SSLC) in Austin, Texas, the Music & Memory pilot program was gaining momentum—but some residents seemed unwilling to participate. One older man, in particular, just wouldn’t respond, despite best efforts by staff to find music he liked. He did not speak, and although he could walk, he insisted on using a wheelchair. Any efforts to try to get him to take steps were met with aggressive resistance. All that changed one afternoon in the activity center. The resident was sitting by the pool in his wheelchair, accompanied by his physical and occupational therapists. One […]

Maybe it’s a hip fracture or pneumonia that sends your aging parent to the hospital. Or perhaps it’s a stroke or heart disease. Whatever the presenting medical condition and associated complications of recovery, there is one major risk of hospitalization for all older adults, regardless of diagnosis: delirium. According to a recent publication by Harvard Medical School, delirium is “the most common complication of hospitalization among people ages 65 and older: 20% of those admitted to hospitals, up to 60% of those who have certain surgeries, and almost 80% of those treated in ICUs develop delirium.” Some experience hallucinations, agitation, […]

As the afternoons grew longer, Forrest would become agitated. He’d tell his son, Steve, in no uncertain terms, to bring him his car—despite the fact that Forrest had Alzheimer’s and could no longer drive. But listening to Elvis and other personal music favorites would enable him to calm down. “The music would just mellow him out,” recalls Steve of his father’s experience with Music & Memory at Morning Pointe Assisted Living in Columbia, Tenn. “They could use music instead of his anti-anxiety medications. It all depended on the timing. He would sundown about the same time every day. If they […]

Personal music may ease swallowing issues for people with advanced dementia, according to a 2018 study published in Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice. Promising results reported in the pilot study, conducted at Columbia Health Care Center in Wyocena, Wisc., in collaboration with Music & Memory and researchers at Stony Brook University, indicate that personal music has the potential to improve food intake, nutrition and hydration at a critical point in the disease process. Five years ago, Columbia Health Care Center was one of the first nursing homes in Wisconsin to become a MUSIC & MEMORY® Certified […]

We profiled Ginny Hauser, a devoted volunteer in Pullman, Washington, in 2015. Here’s an update on how MUSIC & MEMORY® is helping to ease transitions of care on the Palouse. In 2013, when recently retired Ginny Hauser began training as a patient support volunteer at Pullman Regional Hospital, her class went to a screening of Alive Inside. That experience inspired her to ask if personal music could become part of her volunteer work with patients. The answer was yes, and MUSIC & MEMORY® on the Palouse was born the following December. Today, Ginny is the lynchpin of a model program […]

For Nashville musician Paul Johnson, MUSIC & MEMORY® is more than a non-profit organization that deserves his financial support. It’s a reminder of a conscious choice to make music his life’s work. “Here’s why we’re making music,” says Paul. “When it becomes an important part of someone’s life, that’s a powerful and beautiful thing.” Music has been part of Paul’s life for as long as he can remember. Growing up in Fargo, N.D., he was surrounded by singing and harmonizing. His parents met in a college folk trio, and guitars were always within easy reach at home. Paul was also surrounded […]

In thousands of MUSIC & MEMORY® Certified Care Organizations, we’ve witnessed time and again how musical favorites can help people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias reconnect with the world. Now, a team of researchers at the University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City have demonstrated the brain chemistry underlying that remarkable reawakening. A study published in the April online issue of The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease reports how the U of U Health team found preliminary evidence that familiar music may facilitate attention, reward and motivation, which in turn makes it more possible to manage emotional distress in […]

It was one of those challenging days at a nursing home near Indianapolis. A resident with late stage dementia was agitated, trying to get up from his seat and walk, although he was at risk of falling. Tending to him, nursing staff were unable to spend time with other residents and complete work that had to be done. Everyone was stressed. That’s when speech language pathologist Natalie Scott pulled out a digital music device and began playing some of the man’s favorite music. “I was covering for another therapist, trying to work on verbal expression,” she recalls. “He was able […]

Anne Brazil was surfing Netflix one day when she discovered a video that moved her so profoundly, she had to act. The video was Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory. “I admire how Dan Cohen has not only improved the quality of life of many lonely souls, but literally sparked their long-lost vitality,” says Anne. “He takes a simple iPod loaded with music to a nursing home, places the headphones on the patient, and something magic happens. No pills, no shots, no surgery, nothing invasive, just a simple, loving gift of music, and the person is miraculously changed. […]

It all began in 2008 as an experiment with a handful of residents in four New York nursing homes. In the ten years since, MUSIC & MEMORY® has brought the power of personalized music to every state in the U.S., as well as Canada, Australia, Europe, the Caribbean, Israel and South Africa. And pilot programs are underway in Japan. Shepherding Music & Memory’s international expansion is Manon Bruinsma, a music therapist based in the Netherlands, who first heard of the program when she viewed the Henry video online. “People kept sending it to me and telling me this is going […]

John was nearing the end of his life, no longer able to speak, when Carol Ann Jones brought her guitar to his bedside at a Vermont nursing home for another visit. She began to strum one of his favorite songs, Me and Bobby McGee. John’s brothers were there, and one joined in with his harmonica. Everyone sang. John’s eyes opened wide. “There was so much love in that room,” says Carol Ann. “You could see his body relax. You could see the joy in his eyes. He lifted his arms up and was waving to the music. When I got […]

For many people with dementia, getting the support necessary to promote optimal quality of life while living alone at home can be a challenge. That’s where Music & Memory® has made a major difference for a homecare company in Ohio. Home Care Assistance of Cincinnati (HCA), an in-home senior care service providing personal care and lifestyle assistance to the elderly in the Cincinnati area, is sold on integrating Music & Memory into their clients’ care plans. When HCA owner Will Reid first learned of Music & Memory through the Alive Inside documentary, the personalized music program made perfect sense. He found […]

Oneida County Long Term Care may have only 32 beds, but that hasn’t stopped Cindy Dawson from dreaming big. In charge of medical data systems for the small skilled nursing facility, located 13 miles north of the Utah border in Malad, Idaho, Cindy wanted to take a giant step beyond Oneida’s MUSIC & MEMORY® personalized music program to bring other forms of technology-based mental and emotional stimulation to residents. So, she applied for a $50,000 CMP grant to expand access to technology. Her case was clearly persuasive, because the full request was awarded in January 2016, enabling Oneida to purchase smart […]

“Frank Sinatra—what movie was he in again?” “Guys & Dolls!” “That’s a good one!” For seniors at Long Island’s Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center, it was a morning full of reminiscing. Old standards, movie-musicals and folk songs inspired animated conversation and even brought back some fond memories. But what made this morning even more special were the facilitators of the MUSIC & MEMORY® program: five young adults from the JCC’s Special Needs Department. Alex, Stephen, Bridget, Jackie and Christie helped reveal the musical tastes and old favorites to build the basis for the seniors’ personalized playlists. Fostering New Friendships Located […]

It’s that time of year again! The annual Broadway Alzheimer’s iPod Drive is in full swing and will run until August 19th. Inspired by Music & Memory, Dave Roth, Broadway musician and Alzheimer’s advocate, has teamed up with CaringKind NYC to collect new and used iPods. Now in its sixth year, the iPod drive has collected hundreds of iPods and increased Alzheimer’s awareness throughout the Broadway community. “Our identity is much stronger now,” Dave says. “So many in the entertainment community know about this now and some reach out to me even before the drive has begun.” Broadway performers have […]

The 17-bed Special Care Unit at the Idaho State Veterans Home is always full. “It’s an alpha male environment,” says Oni Kinberg, LCSW, Director of Social Work for the Boise veterans care community. The residents tend to be combat-trained World War II and Korean vets, some with significant dementia who don’t respond to much around them. That’s where Music & Memory fits in. Oni recalls one vet, a man who had served on a submarine and had also sustained football head injuries in his youth; he barely reacted to his surroundings. His wife was his high school sweetheart, and she […]

A spry woman who danced to Big Band music at her 90th birthday bash, Betty Reed was a powerhouse. A loyal Purdue alumna and lifelong fan of their women’s basketball team, Betty was, among her many accomplishments, one of the first women to enlist with the US Coast Guard SPARS during World War II; an Indiana farm wife and mother of three who helped her husband manage their 600 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and livestock; and a well-read librarian until she retired at 75. “She was my first teacher,” says her eldest, Forrest Reed. “Thanks to her, I was […]

Hospice care takes many forms—medical care, pain management, support therapies, compassionate attention to emotional and spiritual needs—in a variety of settings, from home to residential hospices, from nursing homes to hospitals. But there is one quality that all hospices share: a commitment to ensuring quality of life for the patient and support for his or her loved ones, as well. Beloved music can play a significant role in that mix. That’s the experience of Barnabas Health Hospice in West Orange, New Jersey, which has been offering Music & Memory’s personalized music program for the past three-and-a-half years. One of the […]

A chain reaction—that’s how one person’s joy, listening to musical favorites, can spread to people nearby. For those in the front lines of nursing home care, that positive energy can be transformative. “When a resident puts those headphones on, there’s life,” says Olivia Emiko Thompson, a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at MorseLife Health System in West Palm Beach, Florida. “They see you, they smile. The ones who can’t do ADLs (activities of daily living) for themselves are up and dancing. “It’s a hard job in a long-term care residence,” she continues. “You’re amazed by the effects on residents. They’re happy […]

When Jo listens to her favorite country music—Eddy Arnold, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson—she’s transported to another place. “She closes her eyes and just rocks,” says Marie Coz, RN, a volunteer who helps Jo with her iPod. “She’ll tell me ‘I’m real deaf, crank it up!’” The 95-year-old resident of the Memory Care unit at Mary, Queen of Angels Assisted Living Community in Nashville, Tenn., is one of those people who makes an indelible impression as soon as you meet her. The fourth child of eight, Jo grew up on a farm. “She was the best cotton picker and […]

It’s official. We’ve now surpassed 3,000 MUSIC & MEMORY® Certified Care Organizations in the U.S., Canada, Australia and Europe. In just the past eight months, Music & Memory has added one thousand more care settings, as personalized music continues to demonstrate a host of therapeutic benefits: Participants are more upbeat, often regaining lost ability to communicate verbally; Visits with family and friends improve; Better moods lead to calmer social environments and closer relationships with care professionals; Staff enjoy their jobs more; Growing evidence supports field observations that personalized music can be a viable alternative to antipsychotic medications. Benefits of Personalized […]

What happens when high school student volunteers help residents at a MUSIC & MEMORY® Certified Care Organization listen to their personalized playlists? A beautiful synergy of young and old, sharing the joy that comes from recovering memories through favorite music. The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) captured those relationships and the benefits of personalized music for nursing home residents and student volunteers alike in this new video. Watch and listen as John Jay High School student volunteers describe what it means to help residents of the Blue Skies of Texas nursing facility in San Antonio. In the words of one […]

For 15-year-old Jenna Wendt, helping residents at Heartland Country Village to hear their favorite music has completely changed her view of elders. “When I was younger, I don’t know why, but I always thought they were sad or mean,” says the Wisconsin Heights high school freshman, who hopes to become a nurse. “Now when I walk in the door, some people ask me how my day is going or if it’s nice outside. They’re really friendly. I smile and they smile back. They always like me to ask how they feel about a song.” Jenna is one of a growing […]

It was a stunning awakening. For eight months, the woman had stopped participating in art therapy. She used to enjoy painting with watercolors, alongside other women in her group at Terracina Grand, an Alzheimer’s community in Naples, Fla. But as her dementia worsened, she had become more and more agitated, sometimes swinging and hitting her caregivers. Not willing to give up, Angel Duncan, an experienced art therapist, as well as Director of Education and a clinician at the Neuropsychiatric Research Center of Southwest Florida, decided to try a different tack. Maybe, she thought, the right music could help the woman […]

Roberta* was silent. Locked in her dementia, seemingly unaware of her surroundings, she would sit and stare at the walls of her nursing home room for hours on end. When Music Therapist John Abel first met Roberta, shortly after he joined the staff of A.G. Rhodes Health & Rehab in Atlanta two years ago, he thought music could make the difference. And he was right. When she listened to John play the guitar and lead a group in song, after about 45 minutes, she began to respond with a word or even a phrase. But after a while, she became […]

In the southeast corner of Washington State, amidst undulating hills of wheat fields on the Palouse, the City of Pullman, population 31,000, is bringing MUSIC & MEMORY® to a new level of holistic care. Across the continuum, care professionals and volunteers are collaborating to enable individuals to benefit from personalized music. Whether an individual needs hospitalization, nursing home support, adult day care, hospice, or some combination, his or her music goes along. This regional, integrated approach to personalized music, called MUSIC & MEMORY® on the Palouse, has gained traction due, in large part, to the efforts of volunteer dynamo Ginny Hauser. […]

The other day, Suzanne Godfrey was playing music for her 19-year-old daughter when Brown Eyed Girl came on. Suzanne began singing the lyrics. “Hey, Abigail,” she said, “you’re my brown-eyed girl!” Abigail smiled and looked at her mother. It was a good day. Abigail has Heller’s Syndrome, also known as Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, a rare condition on the autism spectrum with no known cure that causes severe loss of social, communication and other skills, mimicking Alzheimer’s. Up until the sixth grade, Abigail was like any other preteen, with no signs of any issues with verbal, motor or social skills. She […]

So, what actually happens to your donated iPod, once it arrives here at Music & Memory? Rest assured, it’s treated with a big dose of TLC! Donated Apple music players of all kinds find their way to our PO Box on Long Island via iPod Donation Drives, individual gifts or collections efforts by one of our MUSIC & MEMORY® Certified Care Organizations. Some people have been inspired by viewing Alive Inside; others have heard about us through local or national media. Once the iPods arrive, we test them to be sure they still operate properly, clean them and, yes, remove all […]

Can personalized playlists help care organizations to reduce reliance on antipsychotics to manage behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia? Research is ongoing in Wisconsin to answer that very question. Two years ago, Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services (DHS) introduced MUSIC & MEMORY® in 100 nursing homes across the state. In a second phase in 2014, DHS expanded the program to bring Music & Memory to an additional 150 nursing homes. Wisconsin initiated the personalized music program as a non-pharmacological intervention strategy for nursing homes that complements the CMS Partnership effort to reduce use of antipsychotics for residents diagnosed with dementia. […]

When the six high school students first met last fall in Nancy Van Alstyne’s class, “Music and the Mind,” they were skeptical. The goal of the yearlong course at Baptist Park School was to help create personalized playlists for residents of nearby MediLodge of Taylor, Michigan, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility. “One of the students told me later in the year, with all the different personalities in the room, that he thought it would never work. But it did,” says Nancy. “And the reason it did was that we were working to serve others.” This past weekend, the six […]

What’s your favorite music? Seems like a simple enough question. Discovering the songs and other music most loved by someone in your care is at the heart of the MUSIC & MEMORY® personalized music program. But the answers aren’t always obvious and, sometimes, they’re downright hard to get, especially when the person you’re asking has Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia—or if she’s from a foreign country that’s unfamiliar to you, or if he simply has trouble explaining what he’s remembering (“it was a song about black, wavy hair”). The best approach, says Letitia Rogers, Music & Memory’s Regional Coordinator […]

When Rev. Tom Davis first met Brenda last April, she was sitting in the day room of Signature HealthCARE of Memphis, mute and unresponsive. Once a vibrant, independent woman who enjoyed traveling abroad, she was now trapped in her dementia, unable to walk and completely withdrawn from the world around her—including her daughter, Belinda. Belinda had sought help at Signature in 2012, as Brenda’s illness had worsened, along with her anger and resistance to care. But Brenda’s resulting remoteness had become a barrier to their relationship, fortified by Belinda’s guilt over having to place her mother in a nursing home. […]

It’s official. Music & Memory is growing like crazy! Thanks to so many of you who support our efforts and understand the profound benefits of personalized music for individuals with cognitive and physical challenges, we have surpassed the 1,000 mark for MUSIC & MEMORY® Certified Facilities. Our member organizations include nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, hospices and adult day health centers, as we continue to expand. In celebration, here are some of the wonderful things that people have to say about how Music & Memory benefits their residents and clients: “Music & Memory is awesome! We are up to […]

As MUSIC & MEMORY® gains momentum nationwide, Ohio has become the third state to launch a Music & Memory Initiative. The Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) and Office of the State Long-term Care Ombudsman have set a goal to enable 250 nursing homes statewide to become MUSIC & MEMORY® Certified Facilities in 2015. Prior to the project launch in January, 22 Ohio facilities had already completed the certification process and currently offer personalized music to their residents. “Music & Memory is a key initiative that helps us extend person-centered care to the next level—recreating life,” says ODA Director Bonnie Burman. […]

Whenever Florida’s Boca Raton Fire Rescue ambulance team arrives at a nursing home, Andrea Entus makes a point to talk with the residents. Especially when they’re called to an Alzheimer’s unit, she tries to reach out. “On one call recently, there were six of us, plenty of help” says Entus, who serves as a firefighter, paramedic and registered nurse with the Advanced Life Support crew. “A lot of the residents just want someone to chat with them. I try to meet them wherever they’re at.” Inspired by Alive Inside It was that sensitivity, plus her passion for documentaries, that led […]

Five years ago, when Jack Geikler and his wife, Pat, moved into independent living accommodations at Kendal at Lexington, Virginia, he was doing his best to care for her. But it was getting harder. The couple had been living with Pat’s worsening dementia for a decade, and she was beginning to wander in their apartment. “I was desperately trying to find an activity for her,” he says. Music had always been a big part of their lives. So Geikler, a former executive at Westinghouse, decided to digitize their CD collection and set up an iPod for Pat that she could […]

When Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services (DHS) decided to implement Music & Memory’s personalized music program in 100 long-term care facilities in September 2013, officials were hopeful that the initiative would improve residents’ quality of life. But they had no idea just how significant the improvements might be. One year later, the evidence is persuasive: Wisconsin has moved from tenth to fourth place among all 50 states in a national effort to reduce use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes. The Music & Memory program is one of the alternatives to medications implemented by Wisconsin nursing homes to reduce unnecessary […]

Many factors go into a decision about where to place a loved one in a nursing home—compassionate care, excellent medical support, cleanliness, a supportive social environment and affordability are often top of mind. But a recent survey indicates that access to personalized music has also become a priority for people seeking appropriate long-term care for a relative or themselves. In October 2014, Software Advice surveyed more than 1500 respondents across the U.S. to learn more about the value of using iPods in long-term care. Key findings: Most respondents (83 percent) would favor a nursing home that offered residents iPods with […]

At hundreds of Alive Inside screenings around the country this summer, we’ve heard from audience members who are inspired to get involved and promote MUSIC & MEMORY® in their home communities. But what’s the best way to draw viewers and leverage all of that positive energy? We asked some of our friends in the field to share what has worked at screenings they’ve help to promote. Although the round of theatrical releases is now over, in coming months the film will become available for licensed screenings at community venues. Here are tips for success, to help you think ahead about […]

When you want something done well, the saying goes, ask a busy person. That’s certainly proven true for three teens, who each have made time between studies and extracurricular commitments to tackle a fundraising and iPod donation drive for MUSIC & MEMORY®.  Jake Moskowitz, Callie Shirley and Daniel Zeuner have never met, but collectively, they’ve raised nearly $10,000 and collected more than 40 iPods in recent months. What convinced each teen to get involved? For starters, all three love music and play instruments—Jake plays the drums; Callie, piano; and Daniel, guitar. For another, both Jake and Callie were inspired to […]

Do you or someone you know have a gently used iPod that could spread the joy of personalized music to a resident in a nursing home? As more and more long term care facilities are completing our MUSIC & MEMORY® Certification Program, the demand for gently used iPods is increasing. Our stock is running low, and we need your help! “Every used iPod we receive is restored to factory settings and distributed to one of our certified non-profit facilities within 30 days,” says Dan Cohen, Music & Memory Executive Director.  “We’ve just completed training for another 100 nursing homes, and […]

The evidence continues to mount: Musical favorites can bridge the divide between hopeless isolation and joyful social engagement for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias and cognitive challenges. According to a March 2014 evaluation of the Alzheimer Society of Toronto’s (AST) iPod Project, benefits of music and music therapy include “improved cognition, communication, and quality of life for older persons with ADOD [Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia],” as well as “an improved ability to manage behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) such as depression, anxiety, agitation and aggression.” The study states unequivocally: “Personalized music works best. Not surprisingly, music that […]

Birdsong. For many, nature’s daily musical festival is a relaxing, joyful gift. For primitive humans, it may also have served as an all-clear signal. Birds don’t sing if there are predators near, if severe weather approaches or if other forms of danger threaten. Maybe, postulates neuropsychiatrist Dr. Frederick Schaerf, that’s why music, primally associated with safety, is the one stimulus that lights up the entire brain on a PET scan, including the cerebellum, part of the hindbrain that lies beneath the larger cerebral cortex. “Music does awaken the brain,” says Schaerf, founder and principal investigator of the Neuropsychiatric Research Center […]

Music can heal in many ways. At Barnabas Health’s Hospice and Palliative Care Center in West Orange, N.J., musical favorites have brought joy and inspiration to residents nearing the end of life. “We’ve had a phenomenal response,” says Mary Murray, RN, Clinical Educator for the hospice. Since MUSIC & MEMORY® was introduced at Barnabas last September, the program has not only enriched residents, but also boosted staff morale and volunteer involvement. “It’s a win-win-win situation,” she says, “something happy and uplifting in the hospice world.” Take the experience of one man in his sixties, blind and a double amputee. “We […]

When Boy Scout Alejandro Urbina decided to raise money, gather CDs and collect used iPods for Music & Memory as a project to earn his Eagle Scout rank, he had no idea where the donations would come from.  Like the 11 new iPods that his Scout Master—a detective with the Westchester County, N.Y., District Attorney’s office—contributed after the devices had served their purpose as evidence in a criminal trial. That’s just one example of the outpouring of donations and generosity that have greeted Alejandro’s efforts since he launched his project in December, presenting the case for Music & Memory at […]

The elderly Asian woman stood by the nurses’ station, tapping her fingers on the counter in time to music playing on her iPod. That’s interesting, thought Head Nurse Milana Leviyev. Curious about what the resident with dementia might be trying to communicate, Leviyev found a portable piano keyboard and placed it before her. To everyone’s astonishment, the resident began to play. Leviyev brought her and the keyboard into a community room, and this elderly Asian woman, who didn’t speak a word of English and had never before indicated to anyone at Goldwater Specialty Hospital & Nursing Facility that she was […]

Bent over her wheelchair, eyes closed, Ella would all-too-easily melt into the background of the dining hall at the Orzac Center for Extended Care and Rehabilitation. Legally blind, with dementia, she sat quietly, a solitary figure who rarely, if ever, spoke. All that began to change in 2012 when Music & Memory came to the Orzac, a 120-bed facility on the grounds of Franklin Hospital in Valley Stream, N.Y., part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. “Ella loved gospel, reggae and music from the ‘50s and ‘60s,” recalls Chris Corallo, a music therapist who introduced the personalized music program to […]

They sang a cappella, danced, drummed, strummed guitars, cheered, performed improv comedy and more. When the November 21 student variety show at Ball State University ended to enthusiastic applause, a group of motivated freshmen and their digital media professor, Mike Gerhard, had raised $1,600 for Music & Memory. And donations are still arriving. Equally as impressive as the fundraising total, the students pulled off the event in just 12 weeks.  “It was one of the most joyous and gratifying semesters that I’ve had in a decade,” says Gerhard, a senior faculty member of BSU’s Telecommunications Department who loves to teach […]

So far, Dave Roth has collected somewhere between 400 and 500 used iPods for Music & Memory. But that’s only the beginning. “I’d love for this to get bigger,” says Roth, a professional musician who has worked his Broadway theatre contacts to run two successful NYC iPod collection drives over the past year-and-a-half. Roth knows a lot of people on the Great White Way. A percussionist whose current  holiday gigs include playing in the pit orchestra for the annual Rockettes Radio City Christmas Spectacular, he’s accompanied about 40 Broadway shows during his 17-year career. Inspiring Satellite iPod Drives Among Actors […]

One of Abbie Kalemba’s fondest memories of her maternal grandmother, Kay Tanner, is of gathering around the piano with her two sisters and 11 cousins, singing and dancing to the Hokey Pokey, as Kay played. “It didn’t matter how old we were,” says Abbie, a hospice nurse near Portland, Oregon. “Even as adults, whenever we got together, that was her standard.” A gifted pianist since childhood who played for her church, in the preschool where she taught and accompanying many students, Kay incorporated music into everything she did. She loved to play and sing Blue Skies and Up the Lazy […]

It all started with an internship. Alexis Gregos was a psychology undergraduate at Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y., looking for meaningful field work to enhance her studies. She had just lost a grandmother to Alzheimer’s. Searching through a list of potential non-profit placements, she noticed Music & Memory. It seemed like the perfect fit. And, indeed, it has been. That undergrad internship two years ago eventually led to Alexis’s current position as Community Outreach Coordinator. Now in graduate school at Adelphi, she balances coursework with her part-time responsibilities, guiding Music & Memory volunteers to run iPod donation drives, helping […]

I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music. —Billy Joel The resident screamed non-stop. Struggling with a cognitive impairment and a language barrier, she seemed inconsolable and would only communicate with Russian-speakers one-to-one. Staff at Sephardic Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., discussed alternatives. After four meetings, they were ready to move her to a hospital to stabilize her behavior. Then Barbara Kaplan, Director of Alzheimer’s Services, had an inspiration. “With encouragement from my staff, I suggested that […]

In the most comprehensive effort to date to bring personalized music into skilled nursing facilities, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has launched a program to fund Music & Memory certification training for 100 nursing homes throughout the state. The Wisconsin Music & Memory Initiative will fully fund training and the equipment needed for 15 residents with dementia for each nursing home accepted into the program. Wisconsin has 397 nursing homes serving approximately 29,000 individuals. Of those, nearly 16,000, just more than half, have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or related dementia. More Than 230 Applicants for 100 Awards Wisconsin […]

A meaningful internship. That’s the goal for many college students who want to learn, grow and get into a good graduate program or land a great first job. For many managers, it’s equally important to identify a great project for interns that will free up staff time and enhance the work of an organization. At Music & Memory certified care facilities in New York, Vermont and Wisconsin, setting up the personalized music program for residents has been a win-win project for interns and managers, alike. At Jewish Home Lifecare in Greater New York, the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington and […]

Someday in the not-too-distant future, If Christy Parsons has her way, everyone who comes to live at a Schlegel Village will receive an iPod and headphones. Recreation & Community Partners Consultant for the network of 12 long-term care and retirement communities in Ontario, Canada, Parsons oversees a system-wide initiative, begun this past January, to bring Music & Memory’s personalized music program to each Village. The facilities are distinguished by an indoor “Main Street” of cafes and shops, spaces designed as hubs for socializing, and a strong sense of community. “We Have to Do This” Schlegel Villages leadership made a $10,000 […]

To create the perfect personalized playlist for someone with dementia, music that deeply connects the individual to meaningful memories, you need a few important ingredients: a compassionate, thoughtful listener who can discover what music matters most; a love of the chase to find the exact, right song; and a solid knowledge of how and where to track it down. Two music aficiandos, Letitia Rogers and Will Erickson, volunteers at Lemon Grove Care Center in San Diego, fit that description well. Alongside Dietary Service Director Judy Ely, who coordinates the facility’s Music & Memory iPod program, Rogers and Erickson form the […]

For college students in Pennsylvania and Texas, helping Music & Memory bring personalized music to those struggling with memory loss has become a rallying cause. At St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, just east of San Antonio, students have pooled their energy, enthusiasm and brain power to run successful iPod donation and fundraising drives, building awareness for Music & Memory in their communities. Here’s how they did it: St. Joseph’s University—Meeting the Marketing Challenge When Janée Burkhalter, assistant professor of marketing, first learned about Music & Memory from a Twitter post, she contacted Executive Director […]

It all started with an email, nearly two years ago, when Heather Holmes was a recreational therapist, working toward her master’s while employed at the Good Samaritan Society’s care facility in Millard, Nebraska, on the west side of Omaha. Of the hundreds of emails she received daily, this one piqued her curiosity. A New York-based non-profit called Music & Memory was offering a new webinar program to train nursing home professionals how to use iPods to create a personalized music program for residents. Holmes was taking a course in grant writing, and after doing some research about the program, decided […]

Whenever Judy Ely sits down with a new resident at the Lemon Grove Care Center to learn about his or her favorite foods, she also asks about a different sort of preference: What kind of music do you love? Director of Dietary Services for the San Diego long-term-care and rehabilitation complex, Ely is the driving force behind the 152-resident facility’s Music & Memory iPod program. “I speak to our residents every day,” says Ely. “I know how much it would mean to me, to be able to hear my personal music favorites if I lived here. The iPod program is […]

When Cindy’s 88-year-old father came to live with her in July 2009, she didn’t know what she was in for. Wrestling with Alzheimer’s and recently widowed, Ralph was recovering from a stroke and struggling to walk. As the seasons changed, he found the weather much colder on Long Island than he was used to in Florida. Everything was new and unfamiliar. A man who “would never hurt a fly,” Ralph became unpredictable, even violent. “You name it, I was dealing with it,” recalls Cindy, who prefers not to share her last name to protect her privacy. “He would try to […]

There’s new hope for anyone with a formal diagnosis of dementia living in the Greater Toronto Area. Since January, the Alzheimer Society of Toronto will provide an iPod Shuffle, iTunes credits to download favorite songs, and help for caregivers and family members to bring the benefits of personalized music into their lives. Inspired by a screening last fall of the Music & Memory documentary, Alive Inside, and a presentation by Music & Memory’s Dan Cohen and film director Michael Rossato-Bennett, the Society launched their Music & Memory: iPod Project as part of their Creative Arts Therapy programming. More than 42,000 people […]

Never underestimate what a group of girls can accomplish when they put their minds together—especially when it comes to devising a way for elders to easily access their personalized music on iPods. That’s the idea behind the “iSly”—short for “It Seems Like Yesterday”—a conceptual device that uses biofeedback and an iPod or MP3 player implanted in hearing aides to trigger music. Although the iSly is an imaginary tool, the idea behind it is significant: Connect the body’s physiological responses to emotions such as anxiety to seamlessly activate the user’s personalized playlist. The iSly concept was created by a group of […]

Everywhere you go, people are using iPads—taking and sharing photos, reading books and magazines, watching videos, talking to friends and family, searching the Internet, listening to music. These electronic tablets provide so many ways to connect with the world and interact, they shouldn’t be limited to home, school or office. In fact, iPads offer a world of therapeutic opportunities for the nursing home setting. I work as a music psychotherapist at a skilled nursing home and short- and long-term rehabilitation facility in the Bronx, New York. I started using the iPad2 in June 2010, when I bought one for myself […]

Personalized music can make a world of difference for people struggling with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other cognitive and physical challenges. Those who have been less talkative often become more verbal. Those who have been still often become more active. Those who have been sad and depressed often become more joyful Many who have witnessed the power of personalized music ask us, “How can I help?” Recycled iPods Bring Joy to Nursing Home Residents Here’s one of the best and most tangible ways you can get involved: Run an iPod donation drive in your community. We’re always in need of gently […]