How Live Music Enhances the Lives of Older Adults

When Nancy Gustafson visited her mother in memory care in 2014, she was surprised by her state. Her mom didn't recognize her, and she had trouble communicating.

So, Gustafson tried to get her to sing. When she started playing the piano, her mom began singing along and said, "You know that's not very good."

Gustafson was elated that her mom was not only singing along, but sharing an opinion. She laughed and said if they improved their singing enough, they could perform in shopping malls at Christmas time and earn some money. Without missing a beat, her mom replied, "Yeah, the Gustafson family singers."

This experience inspired Gustafson to create the Songs By Heart Foundation, which brings professional musicians to memory care communities like Chicago Methodist Senior Services' (CMSS) Hartwell Place to lead sing-alongs. During the visits, memory care residents who are anxious or disengaged often open up, sing along and converse about the music. Gustafson said Songs By Heart is different than a traditional sing-along because it's more interactive. When the professional singers engage with residents and initiate conversations during visits, residents are more likely to express themselves.

When Songs By Heart visited CMSS, staff and family members alike saw a profound change among residents. Ann Brennan, Director of Volunteer Services, said it was amazing to see people who were nonverbal begin to sing along. Singing, she said, allowed them to open up in ways they couldn't through speaking or writing.

"The feedback was phenomenal," Brennan said. "When [Songs By Heart] played some of the traditional music, residents could draw on previous memories and sing those songs. That is incredibly powerful. … It lifts their spirits."

Gustafson said when looking for a senior care or memory care community for a loved one, people should ask if they work with Songs By Heart or a similar program, or include music in their daily care. She said it's especially helpful for residents to engage with songs they know and have a personal attachment to. That's why it's beneficial for people to live in a community where caregivers get to know them and their musical tastes personally.

"Every resident has songs that [they] like. One likes Disney, one likes Frank Sinatra," Gustafson said.

So, Songs By Heart works to personalize their sing-alongs for the residents in the communities they visit. When singers visited CMSS, they sang a traditional hula song for a resident from Hawaii. And while singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," they asked residents from Chicago if they were Cubs or White Sox fans to help spark conversations.

Gustafson said one of the best things about live music is that it brings people together. Whether an older adult has memory loss or they're living in an independent living community, visits from groups like Songs By Heart can make their day.

"Music is an antidepressant for everybody," Gustafson said. "It's tremendous watching people reach out and take the hand of somebody because they no longer feel alone."

Bill Lowe is the president and CEO of Chicago Methodist Senior Services, a nonprofit provider of memory care; skilled nursing; supportive and assisted living; cardiac, orthopedic, neurologic and general medical rehabilitation; and other aging services.