My wonderful mum was diagnosed with Alzheimers six years ago, she is now 88yrs old and has spent the last two years living in a care home. I left the Uk eleven years ago to start a new life with my family in New Zealand, at that time my mum was great, working, driving & looking after her home & husband.
It’s hard to believe a life time of memories can be lost in such a short time, leaving confusion and anxiety, on the surface this seems to be the case but I have found a life line of joy for my mum to experience......
Every year I return to the Uk to spend four weeks with mum, getting her dressed up, doing her hair & taking her out, getting to know each other again, reconnecting. Mum doesn’t acknowledge me as her daughter anymore but there is a deep bond, her face lights up when I take her hand, we share a connection that is more than mind.
This year I took some old head phones with me, I was aware of how music could trigger the senses after watching a documentary ‘Alive Inside’ I had also downloaded some of mums favourite songs.
When I placed the head phones on her with the tune from Louis Armstrong ‘what a wonderful world’ her face went still, then the tears came, then through those tears she sang every word! I couldn’t believe it, it was like I’d pressed the ON button. Everyday we had ‘music time’ and every day mum had the same joy, I had all her favourite tunes ready & waiting! One day as I was walking her back to her room she said “oh didn’t we have the best night” not sure where we had been but it must of been good on another occasion she introduced me to a fellow resident “this is my daughter Julie” I was blown away! I know what an impact the music through the head phones made to her, hopefully the care home continues mums music time.
I now want to share my experience & urge others to try it with their loved ones that suffer with this disease.
Music a life line of joy!
It’s hard to believe a life time of memories can be lost in such a short time, leaving confusion and anxiety, on the surface this seems to be the case but I have found a life line of joy for my mum to experience......
Every year I return to the Uk to spend four weeks with mum, getting her dressed up, doing her hair & taking her out, getting to know each other again, reconnecting. Mum doesn’t acknowledge me as her daughter anymore but there is a deep bond, her face lights up when I take her hand, we share a connection that is more than mind.
This year I took some old head phones with me, I was aware of how music could trigger the senses after watching a documentary ‘Alive Inside’ I had also downloaded some of mums favourite songs.
When I placed the head phones on her with the tune from Louis Armstrong ‘what a wonderful world’ her face went still, then the tears came, then through those tears she sang every word! I couldn’t believe it, it was like I’d pressed the ON button. Everyday we had ‘music time’ and every day mum had the same joy, I had all her favourite tunes ready & waiting! One day as I was walking her back to her room she said “oh didn’t we have the best night” not sure where we had been but it must of been good on another occasion she introduced me to a fellow resident “this is my daughter Julie” I was blown away! I know what an impact the music through the head phones made to her, hopefully the care home continues mums music time.
I now want to share my experience & urge others to try it with their loved ones that suffer with this disease.
Music a life line of joy!
