Music and Memory: how music can reawaken memories

24 June 2016:

“Music is the art which is most nigh to tears and memory.” Oscar Wilde

Our modern lives are filled with music at every turn; we choose music for important celebrations with great care, and when we hear a particular song, it can instantly transport us back to a moment in time.

In 2006 in the US, Dan Cohen had an idea: to provide people living with dementia with their favourite music. A personalised playlist could be compiled with the help of family and friends and they could listen to it on an iPod. The personalised list would be especially meaningful to the individual and would help trigger memories.

He found that none of the 16,000 long-term care homes in the US was using iPods for their residents, so he volunteered at a residential home in Greater New York and tried out his idea. The program was a great success with the residents, as well as staff and families. This led to the 2012 Award-winning documentary ‘Alive Inside’, which explored the effects of the individualised music program on residents living with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment.

At Vasey RSL Care’s Vasey Brighton East home, Team Leader, Rose Capp came across ‘Alive Inside’ as part of her PhD research, looking at how people with dementia are portrayed in popular culture.

“In people with dementia, the parts of the brain that process and respond to music are less affected compared with areas associated with short term memory loss and other impairments” says Rose. “So it is often the case that those who have impaired short term memory are still able to remember and respond to songs they’ve known since they were young. The research also suggests that some of our strongest and most potent memories are laid down in our late teens and early twenties, including our recall of music during this period.”

She mentions the late Ronald Reagan, US President and actor. “He was able to recall his years as a young lifesaver long after he had lost his memories of being a famous actor and US president. This could be a result of his age and the emotions involved in that period or a combination of these factors. What we are discovering is that using triggers from this influential period of young adult life, including meaningful choices of music, can reawaken memories from the past.”

Vasey Brighton East Lifestyle Coordinator, Jason Starr-Nolan, was so impressed by what he saw in the documentary that he wanted to introduce the program to the residents at Vasey Brighton East.

“From the moment the film introduced me to Henry, the possibilities of what could be achieved became clearer and clearer to me – and the impact that this could have on the lives of our residents. I was inspired and driven to bring this to Vasey Brighton East”, says Jason.

Over the next few weeks, Jason conducted numerous screenings of Alive Inside for the residents, volunteers, staff and family members at Vasey Brighton East. The screenings were followed by discussions on how the Music and Memory program could be implemented.

Jason notes, “The feedback from everyone who has seen the film has been really positive and we have also had some responses to the donation drive already coming in”.

Watch the trailer for ‘Alive Inside’

“Music has always been important for people,” says Rose. “In earlier times, families would gather around the radio to listen to music, or the piano for a sing-along, and in some families, everyone would play an instrument. What is important with this program is that the music is individualised to each person. We are currently working with our first participant and her family in the program: our lifestyle staff asked her family and staff members to come up with suggestions for a list that would suit her, and they provided an extensive playlist of songs she loved. When I walked in yesterday, she was sitting there with her headphones on and a big smile on her face.”

M&M3 The larger over-the-ear headphone style looks like it will be the best option for participants: these are not only easier to put on and take off, they also shut out some of the background noise and help to provide a more immersive experience.

The Music and Memory program at Vasey Brighton East is aiming to do two things for residents who have dementia: firstly, to improve their overall wellbeing and quality of life, and secondly, to reduce symptoms of anxiety and restlessness that can occur towards the end of the day.

“Of the many benefits of the personalised music playlist, we are particularly hoping that the Music and Memory program will enhance the lives of residents both socially and emotionally” says Jason. “We have 64 residents who could immediately benefit from this program and we are very excited to get it started.”

Dan Cohen says that if he ends up in a nursing home, he wants to be able to listen to his favourite music – in his case, 60’s music.

That’s something we can all identify with. Music is so very personal, and finding just the right music for each individual is the essence of this program.

Would you like to help?

If you are inspired to get involved, there are a number of ways that you can assist us with getting this program up and running:

Donate your pre-loved iPods (any type)
Donate your pre-loved ‘over the head’ earphones
Donate an iTunes card – any value gratefully accepted
Make a donation of $90 for a new iPod Shuffle + Headphones, or purchase these items from Apple, JB Hifi, Myer, Big W, Kmart, Target, Harvey Norman or Officeworks

Donate to Vasey Brighton East’s Music & Memory Program

Send your pre-loved equipment to:

Attention: Lifestyle Coordinator

Vasey Brighton East

709-723 Hawthorn Road

Brighton East VIC 3187

Thank you for supporting this program.

We will be posting more about the program as it proceeds, and if you have any questions, do please get in touch with us.