Plaza Health Network – Giving the Gift of Personal Music to Alzheimer’s Patients

There’s also a science behind music and its effect on the brain. That’s why Plaza Health Network’s South Pointe Plaza and Jackson Plaza have implemented the Music & Memory program geared toward patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders. While Alzheimer’s disease damages the ability to recall facts and details, it usually does not destroy the lasting connections between a favorite song and special music memories from important events. Plaza Health Network centers are using music to access those memories stored deep in the brain by tapping into the emotion that one’s special music can provoke.

 

“Music appreciation is an ability that remains in patients with cognitive depreciation, even after other abilities have faded away,” said Elaine Bloom, Plaza Health Network Chief Executive Officer, “Our Music & Memory program affects patients’ quality of life and sets Plaza Health Network apart as an innovative leader in care and services for our elderly.”

 

Research has shown that music can improve awareness, mobility, socialization and temperament in individuals with cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. It can also reduce the need for certain medications. Because Alzheimer’s impairs the ability to recall facts and details but usually does not destroy the lasting memories stored deep in the brain, music of the person’s life can help them reconnect.

 

South Pointe Plaza and Jackson Plaza each have approximately 40 patients enrolled in their Music & Memory programs. Each participant receives an IPod and headphones to listen to a personalized playlist that is created for him/her based on discussions with the patient and members of their families. Playlists are refreshed approximately every three months.

 

“It is a great pleasure to observe the residents smiling while listening to their personalized music playlists. They are more interactive with each other, more energetic and happier all around! By bringing back the past we hope to stir their memories….and their emotions. ” says Rachel Schuster, MPA, NHA, the Administrator at South Pointe Plaza, and Executive Vice President of Plaza Health Network, who first embraced the initiative.

 

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, by 2050 the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease may nearly triple, from 5.2 million to a projected 13.8 million. This is why it is important to begin implementing programs now that can get individuals with the disease out of a state of complete apathy and respond to stimulation. Ultimately, the goal for Plaza Health Network is to have this program available at all seven of their centers throughout Miami-Dade County.

 

“This program was launched through our philanthropic efforts,” said Ilene Zweig, Executive Director of the Plaza Health Network Foundation. “Our next step is to continue to raise funds so we may expand this program to our additional facilities and thus bring this life-changing experience to even more of our patients.”