Music & movement

Lilac Blossom

Registered User
Oct 6, 2014
609
0
Scotland
When I came home yesterday Crossroads carer told me she had had OH doing exercises to music - said it was great fun, hubby enjoyed it, so that's something I should be doing with him.

Overnight, he talked incessantly, mostly incoherently but sometimes he said I can't hear the music, turn up the sound - the whole night it went on - it seemed as if he was on a loop replaying the music & movement over and over again - very agitated at times.

Crossroads carer works mainly with children who have various disabilities so I am wondering if what she suggests is more in line with her other clients but not so suitable for people with dementia.

Hubby does like music so I also wonder if it was a one off. I just know that if every night was like last night, totally sleepless for me, I couldn't continue indefinitely caring for OH on my own 24/7. Hubby is housebound so cannot take him out - Tuesday morning is my only time out on my own.

Has anyone found Music and movement good for PWD - should I persevere?

Thanks - Lilac
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
Our Day Centre has armchair exercise to music. Singing for the Brain combines music and dancing. Other organisations do too. A lot of people with dementia seem to enjoy it very much but if it overstimulates your hubby's brain to an extent that he can't sleep then I would say proceed with caution, in small doses, not too loud and not before bedtime.
 

malomm

Registered User
Mar 23, 2014
239
0
Campania Region, Italy
Hello Lilac, (my favourite colour :) ), well where I live we don't enjoy such luxuries as day centres and visiting nurses and carer assessments or all the other goodies. What we do have however is 2 afternoons a week senior citizens club; where Mrs M enjoys joining in the light work out to music. She really enjoys them, even if an hour later she's completely forgotten about it. I think, like many others, that music and dance can play an important role in dementia care. One thing that Mrs M can enjoy for hours on end is YouTube mixes of popular music from the 40's and 50's; memories of her youth.
keep smiling,
malomm