Time and time again, I have heard the argument, "Music is good for your soul!" But what does that really mean? How can music actually improve a person's health or wellbeing?
I recently found an article that was published by CBS New York that explains the benefits music brings to elderly patients suffering from various cognitive illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The non-profit Music and Memory uses what they call the healing powers of music to bring the elderly patients back to happier times. According to this article, music was able to significantly improve the mood of the patients. What a simple, yet profound approach to elderly care.
Now, I have witnessed this theory work first-hand. My grandmother suffers from dementia, and her memory is more or less lucid depending on the day. But without any hesitation, she can recognize certain songs and artists from her youth. It only takes a few notes to jog her memory and past associations with the music. To her and many others, music acts as a stress reliever, a facilitator of emotion, and a medium for cognitive recollection.
As stated in the CBS article, one of Music and Memory's goals is to bring music into all 67,000 senior healthcare facilities in the country. This goal is both commendable and logical. Moreover, it is entirely achievable through activism and local engagement. Take initiative. It does not matter whether you or not you are a musician, you can still contribute the musical life in your own local senior homes. Bring speakers; sit with some of the seniors; talk about what music they like and want to listen to. The field of arts and culture is binding, and we must keep it alive.
"Were it not for music, we might in these days say, the Beautiful is dead." -Benjamin Disraeli
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