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“Music & Memory” with iCare and Halton Health

iCare Home Health is proud to announce our collaboration with Halton Healthcare to bring the Music & Memory program to the Halton region. In support of the program, iCare Home Health has pledged to fund the cost of iPods and iTunes gift cards for the benefit of dementia patients enrolled in Halton Healthcare Music & Memory program. At iCare Home Health, we aim to make a positive difference in the communities we serve, and we’re pleased to support a program that works to improve the lives of individuals coping with dementia-related diseases.

About “Music & Memory”

Music & Memory is a non-profit organization that gives the elderly the gift of music through iPods equipped with personalized playlists. The music playlists are comprised of older and beloved songs that have emotional significance to each patient. This form of music therapy has been proven to help elderly patients struggling with dementia and cognitive decline reconnect with the world through music.

Music has a powerful impact on memory. We all have a list of songs we emotionally connect with our first loves, our first dances, our first time driving a car, and other profound personal memories. In fact, our brains are wired to connect music and long-term memory. For individuals with dementia, music can tap into their deep emotional recall. Music connected to memories from their youth can help calm chaotic brain activity, and enable patients to better focus and regain a sense of connection to others. This sense of connection and calm can provide a better quality of life for people struggling with dementia.

The Therapeutic Benefits of Music

  • Fosters a sense of emotional connection
  • Offers an enjoyable activity for persons who are bed-bound
  • Increases cooperation and attention, and reduces resistance to care
  • Reduces agitation and increases pleasure
  • Enhances engagement and socialization
  • Can help reduce reliance on anti-psychotic medications

To learn more about the positive effects of music on the brain, click here.

“Music and Memories” Around the World

The Music & Memories program gained international attention in 2012 when the documentary, Alive Inside: Am Story of Music and Memory was previewed at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. The documentary profiled the work of the Music & Memory program, and a clip from the documentary featuring a patient named Henry, who reawakened by listening to his favourite music by Cab Calloway, went viral. The clip garnered over 11 million views online, and boosted awareness and interest in the program.

In 2013, Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services launched the Wisconsin Music & Memory Initiative, which enabled 100 nursing homes in Wisconsin to become Music & Memory Certified Care Organizations. In 2014, an additional 150 organizations in the U.S. received certification training, and significantly expanded the impact of the program. Music & Memory is also working to expand their program to serve individuals in hospice care, adult day care, assisted living, and hospital / home health care.

Outside of the U.S., Music & Memory is expanding their program in Canada, Europe, and other countries around the world. In January 2014, the Alive Inside documentary was screened at the Sundance Film Festival and garnered positive reviews, and won the Audience Award for U.S. Documentaries. The outpouring of interest and support for Music & Memory’s efforts is helping to ensure that the program’s goal of improving the quality of life for long-term care patients through personalized music therapy is realised.

Alive Inside Official Trailer 1 (2014) – Alzheimer’s Documentary HD

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