Tales of Music and the Brain
I have just read Oliver Sacks new book, Musicophilia, Tales of Music and the Brain, and highly recommend it. It validates everything I teach in my Benevolent Ballet-Fall Prevention for the Elderly training seminars. I started dog earring pages I wanted to return to or to cite. Now practically ever page from chapter nineteen on is dog earred. My poor book!

The book drives home the fact that there are actual physiological changes in brain activity when one listens to music, even when one imagines music! It is possible that problem areas in the brain may be by-passed enabling a person to perform certain cognitive and physical activities otherwise impossible.

I have students in a secure Alzheimer’s unit who will sit in a row of chairs and stay engaged and animated for 40 minutes! Of course this takes a lot of energy on the leader’s part. It has to do with empathy going from the teacher to the class and vice-versa. The energy is necessary for this empathic engagement to work.

I have had residents with aphasia able to speak simple and appropriate sentences after a thirty minute session. I've often seen residents with severe neural musclar conditions find their rhythm and control while listening to music. I don't know how long these affects last but I imagine, with enough reenforcement, quality of life will be improved.

The music is all important but the class’ attention must be drawn to it. The leader must respond to it by commenting, singing or moving. When this is done with sincere enthusiasm the class will feel this and respond. Many facilities have music playing all the time. Often it is music the staff enjoys (usually country or rock) and it just goes over the residents’ heads like white noise. When I come in I turn this off for a minute or two, remark on the peace and quiet and proceed to greet each resident individually. Then I introduce my light classical music, tell the class to listen, show how it makes me feel and begin the process of drawing the group in.

How do you use music in your programming?
Thank you Dr. Sacks for an inspiring book!
Sheila