Birches' Music and Memory program brings joy to residents with memory loss

Dementia is a lonely disease. Symptoms like confusion and memory loss make it hard to connect with others in a meaningful way, and people with dementia may avoid socialization because they fear embarrassment. But there is a way to help them engage with the world once again: music.

At The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills, personalized music therapy is relieving stress and bringing joy to residents with dementia. Residents are participating in one-on-one or small group sessions with a professional music therapist and a licensed clinical musician on a regular basis. And the result has been astounding.

"It's amazing to see the transformation," said Birches' Director of Encore and Memory Care Services Katie Schaff Fagan. "We've had residents who are not very verbal sing along with songs. We've had residents who don't like physical activity very much tap their feet or move their body to the rhythm of the music. I've also seen their demeanor change. They can go from being anxious to being calm or from seeming sad to seeming happy."

Bringing music into the lives of people with dementia is a simple way to improve their well-being, but it works. That's why, in 2008, Dan Cohen founded Music & Memory, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing the benefits of personalized music to residents in long-term care communities throughout the world.

Cohen's inspiration for Music & Memory came ten years ago when iPods were first peaking in popularity. He realized how important his favorite 1960s music was to his own happiness, and he knew that when he was older, he'd like to be able to listen to this music even if he was living in a long-term care community. So he collected used iPods and created personalized playlists for residents at a local retirement home. Needless to say, the response from residents was remarkable. They became happier, more social and experienced improvements in their memory.

His work even inspired an award-winning documentary, "Alive Inside," which followed him as he delivered the gift of music to older adults across the country. The film was eye-opening for many because it showed how the simple act of listening to music could combat memory loss and help people with dementia recapture their sense of self.

Since Cohen brought the benefits of music into the spotlight, assisted living communities, like The Birches, have started using the healing power of music to help residents with dementia live more fulfilling lives. In fact, because The Birches is a Masterpiece Living community that's committed to successful aging, it made Music & Memory part of its core programming by hiring music therapist Diane Horne. Horne visits Encore, The Birches' memory care neighborhood, every other Thursday guitar in tow, ready to make a difference in the lives of residents with dementia.

"I personalize each song I play," said Horne. "Sometimes I'll add a resident's name to a song, and they love that I'm giving them individual attention. Then I'll see their posture improve, and I'll see a smile on their face."

But as a trained music therapist, Horne does more than just play music for residents. She talks to them, listens to how they're feeling and creates songs that reflect their emotions in a way that makes them feel acknowledged and understood.

"Music therapy is all about being tuned into the resident or patient you're working with and their mood," said Horne. "That's where being a therapist comes in. That's something that an entertainer is not trained to do. I talk with them about their feelings, and always help them find a tiny sense of joy, no matter how small."

So far, Horne has noticed that her sessions not only bring joy to residents, they help residents feel more energetic and more social. In fact, getting residents engaged in the world around them is one of her main goals. She does this by creating interactive games that encourage participation.

"Sometimes people with dementia get caught in their own little world. They stare straight ahead. They don't say anything to the person right next to them," said Horne. "So I like to play musical games that get them socializing. I'll sing a song that tells them to clap their hands if they have black shoes or glasses. And all of a sudden they're looking at their feet, touching their face and talking to one another. They're not blocked off from the world anymore."

In addition to the music Horne brings to The Birches, the community also invites harpist and clinical musician Lisa Boggess to share her music with Birches residents. As a clinical musician, Boggess takes a slightly different approach than Horne. Rather than delving into emotions and personalizing songs, Boggess plays beautiful, familiar songs that bring back memories of a certain season, holiday or time in their life.

"Because it's a memory care neighborhood, I try to stick to familiar songs that I think they would know. At Christmas, I'll play their favorite Christmas songs or I'll play songs from when they were young. That brings them back a little bit and helps them remember things," said Boggess.

Besides bringing back memories, Boggess says her visits also help lift residents' spirits and encourage social interaction. It's very rewarding, she says, to watch as their behavior and mood change over the course of her visit. She can tell she is really making a difference in their lives.

On one occasion, Boggess was playing her harp for a resident who never talks. After the resident listened to a half an hour or so of Boggess' harp music, the resident said thank you to her.

"When I was done playing, The Birches' staff told me that she never talks," said Boggess. "Not knowing her history, I didn't realize it was a big deal. But it was. For her, those two words were a very big deal."

The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills, Ill. offers professional services to support the physical, social, intellectual and spiritual growth of the older adults who make it their home. The Birches offers purposeful programming and activities designed to promote a healthy aging lifestyle and a strong sense of community. For more information about The Birches, call 630-789-1135 or visit: birches.net.