Music Enhances Life at Kiva Assisted Living – Palatka
Most of us have the experience of hearing a tune from our past and having some memory rush into our consciousness… a dance we attended, a friend, a place.
In the documentary ALIVE INSIDE, the experience for those with dementia can be miraculous.
Recently the CROSS ROADS came to play at Kiva Assisted. It was fun to see people smiling and some trying to dance in their wheel chairs. Music is often part of our activities at Kiva Assisted Living in Palatka, FL.
If you are wondering what to give your aging loved one on their next birthday or your next visit, fill an ipod with some of the music they enjoyed during their early years. Were they into jazz, country, classical, reggae? It doesn’t matter, whatever they liked, put it on the ipad. A simple push of a button and watch their face light up.
If your aging loved one played an instrument, maybe try getting them to play a bit again. If you loved one doesn’t have dementia yet, encourage them to learn an instrument. Such brain exercises have shown to delay the onset of dementia.
“If you can delay the presentation (of dementia) by five years, then you add an extra five years of functioning to an individual at the end of the life span,” said Brenda Hanna-Pladdy, assistan professor of neurology at Emory University. “In terms of fiscal cost and everything, that’s actually quite a lot.”
