Music has always brought joy to my life, from the formative years of playing piano and flute into adulthood. Because of this personal connection, I recently became certified in Music & Memory. Through this program personalized playlists can be created for loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Chronic pain, Depression, Anxiety and episodes of agitation. This program is offered mostly in large scale settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, adult day care and hospice. With the trend of more and more seniors aging in place, in the comfort of their home, it made sense to bring this to CareBuilders at Home clients.
Creating a personalized playlist for home use can make a difference for all involved, to renew connections, improve communication, ease transitions, provide respite time for the caregiver and more. The power of personalized music is it helps loved ones reminisce about the past, reclaim cherished memories and helps them stay engaged. Because music memory is formed in a different part of the brain than language and speech, loved ones who have trouble with speech sometimes will break out in song or start humming while listening to their music. Personalized music also helps caregivers to accomplish activities of daily living without resistance. Providing the playlist music during activities that might otherwise cause agitation, such as meals, traveling on public transportation and during household tasks serves to calm loved ones.
CareBuilders at Home Plano-Frisco, is happy to now offer this service to our clients. This is just another homecare solution to help our client families and loved ones stay connected and happy in the comfort of home.