In this amazing video an unresponsive nursing home patient reacts to hearing music that he loved from his era. Previously hunched over, his eyes widen, his whole being “quickens”. He recalls who he is and how his favorite songs were sung.
The nursing home music program hopes to transform the lives of residents — especially those experiencing dementia — by giving them iPods full of their favorite music.
The clip below is part of a documentary called Alive Inside, which follows social worker Dan Cohen as he creates personalized iPod playlists for people in elder care facilities, hoping to reconnect them with the music they love, reports NPR News.
Cohen says the YouTube video of Henry is a great example of the link between music and memory. Cohen says his goal is “to make access to personalized music the standard of care at nursing facilities.”
Alive Inside screens April 18, 20 and 21 at the Rubin Museum in New York City.
You can learn more, and see additional clips from the film, at the Music & Memory website: www.musicandmemory.org.