Music and dementia

NotTooLate

Registered User
Jun 10, 2017
301
0
Alvechurch
toolate.blog
Good Morning.. everyone!

Music is such a personal thing...it depends on taste and if they grew up with music... but I do thing there is something beating in all of us that gives us some need for music in our lives.... just got to find it... I can't stand Jazz :confused:

Love music.... used to play guitar and keyboard just for my own please... know what I mean... and now downsized to Ukulele. .. and the sweet soulful voice.... :cool: I sound like a squashed frog, but suffering from severe hearing loss helps me... not sure about everyone else!?

60s and 70s my time... but I am very emotional now... and I can get upset over the simplest of things, something that never affected me before makes me burst into tears! I find certain songs bring memories back so clearly, so sharp and sometimes the pain comes with it! But... most of the time I just start to move with the groove :rolleyes: Know what I mean!? :D

Someone bought me a War Songs Album.... come on.. I'm 65... We'll Meet Again.. and Roll out the Barrel... just doesn't do it for me.... I do think sometimes people think... Dementia, War Time Songs and the Penny Farthing bike.. go together! :confused:
 

AbbyGee

Registered User
Nov 26, 2018
746
0
Portsmouth, South Coast
The OH has a bizarre collection of CD's - probably 1500 to 2000 or so (like the books and postcards etc). A very eclectic range from the 40's stuff through opera and girls bands, world music, folk, country, classical, film and stage to military marching stuff and all stops between. But he'll play the same couple of CD's for days unless I can squirrel them away and replace them with something else. Bless him. He's very easy to entertain. I sometimes I wish I could put the DVD player on 'Repeat' function!
 

NotTooLate

Registered User
Jun 10, 2017
301
0
Alvechurch
toolate.blog
Morning AbbyGee...

Sounds like a good collection to me! :rolleyes: You can't beat a bit of marching!

Don't we all play the same CD's over and over... especially when we first get them?
 

Agzy

Registered User
Nov 16, 2016
3,776
0
Moreton, Wirral. UK.

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
Unfortunately the benefits of music don't stay the same over time. We used to love our Musical Memories events with Alzheimer's Scotland and at daycentre John would dance with the staff if they had music on. Now he simply doesn't notice music and never watches TV. I took him to see the film Wild Rose this week which had lots of good country music. I don't think he looked at the screen once. He fidgeted and ended up looking at his daily paper by the light of the film screen.

Very disappointing and a bit depressing if I dwell on it. Fortunately I enjoyed the film.
 
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Izzy

Volunteer Moderator
Aug 31, 2003
73,996
0
72
Dundee
I'm lucky in that Bill retained his interest in music until he died. He was in our memories choir until the week before his death. He had his own playlist and reacted to all of his songs with different emotions. His connection with music has left me with so many oosituve memories.

I'm currently sitting in our choir session (yes I know I should be surfing here!!) and looking round I see so many people with a diagnosis enjoying the experience. Some have carers with them, some come independently and some are supported by our volunteers. We are totally self funding and independent. We're so lucky to be well supported.
 

Mydarlingdaughter

Registered User
Oct 25, 2019
205
0
North East England UK
I downloaded some songs I thought Mum would like onto my phone. Last time I visited we listened to "Blaydon Races" and she sang along to the chorus and was so happy!
Its quite a long song with lots of verses. Also "On Blueberry Hill". If you know songs they might like, you can learn the words and sing along. I also asked her what other music she liked and we agreed on various classical composers. However after listenig to both songs she was exhausted.
Mum was born in North Tynseside and I think although she left in the 1930s she must have heard Blaydon Races as a young child.
 

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