Improving the Lives of Those with Dementia

Multiple studies report on the benefits of using music and art to improve the lives of those with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. Experts explain they help encourage engagement and self-expression even in more advanced stages.

Professionals who work with Alzheimer’s patients say music seems to decrease agitation and improves behavioral problems common in the middle stages of the disease. Patients in later stages may even be able to sing a song they knew from childhood or tap a foot to the beat even after other forms of communication are difficult. Dancing or gently moving to a rhythm helps coordinate motor movements as well as allows the person to express emotions. Research shows “musical memories are often preserved in Alzheimer's disease because key brain areas linked to musical memory are relatively undamaged by the disease.”

If you wish to use music to calm and soothe, choose peaceful, tranquil pieces. If you want to boost spirits and bring back happy memories, use livelier pieces. Experts say to turn off other distractions like a TV and close windows if there is outside noise. Music may be more enjoyable to the person if it is something they are familiar with from their earlier life.

Art can also be an outlet for self-expression and give a person with Alzheimer’s a sense of purpose and accomplishment in creating their own work. Experts recommended avoiding any project that seems childlike and demeaning. Use safe, non-toxic materials, and if they need, take their hand and guide it on the paper to get them started. Moreover, remember there is no need for the person to finish.

MorningStar at River Oaks’ goal is to provide the best senior living Houston offers, which includes compassionate dementia care for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Our holistic dementia care is individualized for each resident and designed to stimulate or calm in response to a particular mood or situation. A resident’s day is filled with meaningful activities that incorporate music, dance, art, aromatherapy, or animals to heal and comfort residents. Please visit our website to learn more about our home, our staff and the philosophy that guides our dementia care.

MorningStar is guided by a culture rooted in our mission of honoring God, valuing seniors, and investing in our team, which allows us to deliver services with warmth, sincerity and depth of purpose. We have built a reputation for creating homes filled with an atmosphere of love and community. Please contact us to learn more about the finest senior living Houston has to offer.

Source: alz.org/help-support/caregiving/daily-care/art-music

Comments

Keeping Seniors Safely Mobile

The Mayo Clinic reminds older adults it is important they take proper precautions to prevent falls. Medical conditions, the resulting medications needed, and a more sedentary lifestyle can result in weaker muscles and balance problems that can lead to a fall. Also please keep in mind, a fall for an older adult can cause injuries that are very serious such as a broken hip, head trauma, or in the most severe cases, death. However, the solution to preventing falls is not to stop moving. The medical experts at the Mayo Clinic explain being inactive is bad for our health regardless of how old we are and it is vital that we keep moving. To that end, they suggest a commonsense six-part plan to keep seniors safely mobile. Their first recommendation is to set up an appointment with your doctor. Bring to the visit a list of all your medications, and be prepared to discuss with your doctor any side effects of the drugs that may put you more at risk for a fall such as anti-depressants or

As We Age, Staying Fit is Important to Mobility and Independence

As we age, staying fit is important to both our mobility and our independence; and even if you haven’t spent your life as a serious fitness buff, experts say it doesn’t mean you can’t start now. However, it is important to check with your healthcare provider before beginning any new exercise. The Harvard Medical School recommends several exercises that provide all-around conditioning and don’t require a gym membership. Any one of them can help keep your weight under control, improve balance and range of motion, strengthen bones, protect joints, prevent bladder control problems, and even ward off memory loss. Swimming is recommended for its low impact on the body as the water’s buoyancy supports the body and takes the strain off painful joints. Dr. I-Min Lee, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, explains, “Swimming is good for individuals with arthritis because it’s less weight bearing.” Researchers also report swimming can help improve our mental health. Water aerobics is a

Regular Physical Exercise is Good for Your Bones

Not only is physical exercise good for our heart and cognitive health but it can help older adults stay steady on their feet. Studies show regular physical activity can reduce the risk of falls in older adults at a high risk of falling by nearly one third. Experts explain certain kinds of exercise helps increase muscle mass and bone strength as well as improve balance and coordination, fight off osteoporosis, and reduce the risk for fractures and broken bones. Some of the best exercises are known as weight-bearing, which require a person to carry their weight and work against gravity. Examples include walking, dancing, hiking, climbing stairs, jogging and playing tennis or basketball. Doctors say if you can manage it, increasing your pace during aerobics, jogging and power walking make the exercises even more effective at strengthening bone density. Resistance exercises also work against gravity and help build muscle mass and improve bone strength. Strength training with weights, wei

MorningStar Independent Living Blog

Search This Blog