Sometime ago I watched a PBS program on the adaptation of dance for people with Parkinsons; I believe one of the participants had Alzheimers. The group was treated as anyone else who took dance classes but the movements were specifically adapted to people with movement and memory disorders. There was a combination of foot movement as well as swaying movement while basically standing in place.
There's an Aging Care article on this movement, which has spread over the years:
The program on "Dance for Life" was a very emotional, touching program. Trained dancers worked to adapt and create a dance program. It was educational for both the professional dancers and the beginning dancers.
The article also contains a link providing information on classes throughout the world:
www.danceforparkinsons.org. Here's the link for classes in Texas: http://danceforparkinsons.org/find-a-class/class-locations/united-states/texas
Looks like there are classes in Austin, Dallas and Houston.
2. Music Therapy.
There are groups that specifically perform musical events for people in facilities, regardless of their diagnoses. They're called music therapy groups. I even found a forum for people who participate in these groups, but I don't believe I had that website location bookmarked on this computer.
I was surprised to learn that some of these groups not only perform at rehab and care facilities, but they also actually go to prisons and perform for the inmates.
You can Google "Music Therapy for Alzheimers" and check out the various hits to see if you can find a class, or call your local Alzheimer's Assn. and ask if they're aware of any classes in your area.
You can also sign up for an Alzheimer's newsletter here: https://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-music-art-therapy.asp
But I would also contact your local assn. directly.
Or you can contact the American Music Therapy Assn.: http://www.musictherapy.org/
3. Music types
Music of the era when the individual in question was growing up, was a young adult usually reach people and create responses quickly, even when verbal communication is limited.
Other types of music could be patriotic, upbeat music such as polkas and ragtime, soothing music (when someone is restless) such as harp or hammered dulcimer music.
I took my piano music and played for my mother when she was in rehab, and again when I visited my father a few years later. I found that soothing music brought people in, patriotic music got them moving, tapping their feet, sometimes their arms, and a waltz even got one visitor to dance solo around the floor.
When I played military songs such as the Marine Corps or Army hymns, LOTS of feet started tapping the floor!
I'm no expert and I don't know anything about any particular therapy for people with dementia, however, I know what I have observed with people who have dementia. My cousin has severe dementia and she still seems to enjoy the songs from her younger days. I played them for her just a week ago and she was swaying to the music in her wheelchair and still knew most of the words, even though she didn't know the singers in the video. The songs I played were her favorites when she was in her teens, twenties, thirties.
I would try various types of music and see what they respond to.
Also, at Christmas time in the Memory Care facility, I watched them all sing along to old standard Christmas songs, like Silent Night, Jingle Bells, White Christmas, etc. Most all of these people who were severely affected with dementia, still could sing many of the words to these songs. They didn't do that with modern Christmas songs.
I've also witnessed some seniors really seem to be impacted by old time, spiritual songs. It was like they could feel the emotion in the song.
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Sometime ago I watched a PBS program on the adaptation of dance for people with Parkinsons; I believe one of the participants had Alzheimers. The group was treated as anyone else who took dance classes but the movements were specifically adapted to people with movement and memory disorders. There was a combination of foot movement as well as swaying movement while basically standing in place.
There's an Aging Care article on this movement, which has spread over the years:
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/parkinsons-patients-dance-for-life-175212.htm
The program on "Dance for Life" was a very emotional, touching program. Trained dancers worked to adapt and create a dance program. It was educational for both the professional dancers and the beginning dancers.
The article also contains a link providing information on classes throughout the world:
www.danceforparkinsons.org. Here's the link for classes in Texas:
http://danceforparkinsons.org/find-a-class/class-locations/united-states/texas
Looks like there are classes in Austin, Dallas and Houston.
2. Music Therapy.
There are groups that specifically perform musical events for people in facilities, regardless of their diagnoses. They're called music therapy groups. I even found a forum for people who participate in these groups, but I don't believe I had that website location bookmarked on this computer.
I was surprised to learn that some of these groups not only perform at rehab and care facilities, but they also actually go to prisons and perform for the inmates.
You can Google "Music Therapy for Alzheimers" and check out the various hits to see if you can find a class, or call your local Alzheimer's Assn. and ask if they're aware of any classes in your area.
You can also sign up for an Alzheimer's newsletter here:
https://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-music-art-therapy.asp
But I would also contact your local assn. directly.
Or you can contact the American Music Therapy Assn.:
http://www.musictherapy.org/
3. Music types
Music of the era when the individual in question was growing up, was a young adult usually reach people and create responses quickly, even when verbal communication is limited.
Other types of music could be patriotic, upbeat music such as polkas and ragtime, soothing music (when someone is restless) such as harp or hammered dulcimer music.
I took my piano music and played for my mother when she was in rehab, and again when I visited my father a few years later. I found that soothing music brought people in, patriotic music got them moving, tapping their feet, sometimes their arms, and a waltz even got one visitor to dance solo around the floor.
When I played military songs such as the Marine Corps or Army hymns, LOTS of feet started tapping the floor!
I would try various types of music and see what they respond to.
Also, at Christmas time in the Memory Care facility, I watched them all sing along to old standard Christmas songs, like Silent Night, Jingle Bells, White Christmas, etc. Most all of these people who were severely affected with dementia, still could sing many of the words to these songs. They didn't do that with modern Christmas songs.
I've also witnessed some seniors really seem to be impacted by old time, spiritual songs. It was like they could feel the emotion in the song.
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