Dr. Roger

Yes to all the above suggestions. Hearing your joy at working with this precious but too often forgotten population gives out a message of Love. Recognizing that any of us could be in similar straits can give us both hope and empathetic intimacy that our clients recognize at what ever level of cognition they have. Smile a lot, sing a lot, play a lot, sometimes even cry some; make what life is left and what time is left an experience of shared joy and your AUTHENTICITY will shine through. (Notice I said “empathetic” not “sympathetic.”)

As to finding appropriate songs....If you know the age range(s) of those being served you can select music from their formative years. I use “Spotify” (with very nominal prices for monthly subscriptions) and download the songs that correlate with those formative years onto old I-Phones that can be connected with small amplifiers. They can be stopped and started and repeated as often as needed.. Don’t forget, however, that using nursery rhymes and pre-K and elementary school songs are very welcome as are the lullaby’s sung for infants. My dementia residents love them all.

RE: MUSIC THERAPY As a newbie on here, please take my observations with more than a grain of salt. While board certification as a music therapist indicates the likelihood that one has studied and can utilize music therapeutically, there are probably many others like myself with post-graduate degrees and/or experience in both Music performance (and music education++?) as well as psychology and mental health training. While credentialing is expanding the recognition and professionalism of certified Music Therapists there are many more without formal credentials in the field who can use their talents and training to bring new insights in care for the elderly and especially to those with dementia. I’m retired over a decade, yet each week I work with Alzheimers residents and see silence turn to song and frozen stares evolve into broad smiles and tears of joy as I share improvisationally on my keyboards and see the room come alive with clapping, waving, singing, and dancing. Yes, even uncertified musicians and teachers may well contribute much to this expanding field of elder care. Next project I’m hoping to help inspire is the building of a South Florida choir of folks with Parkinsons Disease like myself. I’d love to hear from others with ideas to exchange.