Music

One of our clients, name withheld of course is manic. She refers to herself by the third person. She says her husband is dead. She thinks people are trying to kill her. She is always getting up and wandering around. However, when we manage to get her to sit down, put in a CD, and play a song she recognizes, she is there jazzin' around, snapping her fingers, and singing to the lyrics.

We underestimate the significance of music and its affects on the elderly. For me, music usually serves as background ambiance, fainted in the loud noise of traffic, or just lost when I am studying or running. I forget that my mood changes to certain songs or the memories that triggers.

When serving a population, you will need to understand how to select songs based on how appropriate it is, and yet, not limit the selections based on age. I am going to to put in a song that I hear while everything is dancing at the club for my clients. However, I am also not going to play a song based on an assumption they will like it because it is by Frank Sinatra. This is all about trial and error. You do not need to play the entire song. If there are no offensive or explicit language, try it.

Recently, I had songs from Madonna (her earlier stuff), Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Lionel Ritchie. It was tested when we did our morning exercise and the response was mixed. None was negative. Backstreet boys and Boys II Men did not make any impact.

We try not to play the same music for many reasons. Your CDs get scratched. You start to tune the music out instead of enjoying it. You do not know what else you can play. Our clients may have Alzheimer's, but they do not need to have a deja vu moment everyday.