We all have elderly people in our loves that we love and hold close. Whether it’s a parent, grandparent or a close neighbor. As time goes on cognitive disease and decline set in, causing them to not be there mentally anymore. This is upsetting and difficult for their loved ones, often younger generations.
Last year my grandmother died, and although she was there she wasn’t fully there. She had lived with cancer for a few years and the chemotherapy made her weak and brittle. She was there in heart but not there in mind as much in the end. She was still there cognitively up until the very end for the most part. She didn’t have any cognitive related diseases or conditions, and for that i’m grateful.
A few years before her passing my great grandmother passed away. She had a long life, died at 93 (if I remember correctly) but for the last few years she didn’t recognize my mom or know her name, or any of her grandchildren or great grandchildren. I remember visiting and my mom expressing her sadness that she just wished that her grandma could remember her and speak with her. My mom had a relationship with her grandma that was special, unique, something she didn’t have with her own mother (my grandma) in certain ways.
I’ve never personally had to deal with a struggle like this, but can see how difficult it can be for son’s, daughters, and grandchildren. Being able to voice those last words, feel that love and connection to your loved one’s just one more time is priceless, something money cannot buy.
So when I stumbled upon this video I felt it was something that I just had to share. This elderly home (in Atlanta it seems) has encompassed a music program that integrates both live music and individualized music to it’s tenants. The live music get’s these old folks dancing and having a great time. The individualized music seems like it has potential to breakdown mental barriers and allow elderly to go back in time and feel something from the past again.
As you’ll see in the video below, one woman reconnected with her mother emotionally as her mother was taken back years by the music. Maybe this is a tool you can use with your loved one to reconnect and to feel a sense of connection that you may have thought you lost forever. Take a look here:
Watching this it gave me a few ideas. First, if I had a parent or grandparent who had dementia, alzheimer’s, memory loss or any cognitive decline related disease or condition I would use music to try to reconnect with them. I’d go research and find what music they listened too (or that played in their youth) and bring it to them. Who knows what miracles could happen from this simple idea. Music moves us all in different ways, it communicates with our spirit, and if our spirit can communicate with the spirit of our loved ones again, that just might be worth more than any last words could ever say.
I hope this inspires you or someone you know to use music in a new way that could benefit them greatly.
Recommended Reading: Learn How To Use Music To Reduce Stress And Improve Brain Health
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