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How Music Can Help Loved Ones With Dementia

Music is a tool that brings people together and boosts our endorphin levels. It reminds us of the good times and happy memories. When a good song plays on the radio, you sing along and smile at your favorite parts. These feelings that music provokes are universal and can even help your loved ones with dementia, too.

 

Living with dementia isn’t easy. It can leave your loved ones feeling confused and disoriented. The good news is that music can act as a link between their past and the present. Music can promote a stronger connection between both of you and make them feel more comfortable with their surroundings.

 

Let’s look at some of the benefits and how you can use music to grow a deeper connection with your loved ones. 

 

The benefits of music for dementia  

Music is everywhere and the benefits are endless. However, the way an individual with dementia experiences music may be different than you. 

Here are two of the universal benefits: 

 

Reduce stress

Studies show that music can lower your heart rate and cortisol levels. When listening to music, our bodies release endorphins and help us feel more at ease. Introducing music to your loved ones with dementia can help them physically feel more comfortable and stress-free at the moment. 

 

Relieve anxiety 

Anxiety is prominent in patients with dementia. Ongoing feelings of confusion and stress can be tolling on their mental health. Music can help calm their nervous system and give them a sense of relief. A study done by neuroscientists in the U.K. found that listening to music can help reduce anxiety by up to 65%.

 

How to use music with your loved ones

There are steps you’ll want to take to see if music has an impact on your loved ones. 

Start slow, be patient, and consider the following:

 

Find songs they enjoy

Ask yourself what kind of music your loved ones will enjoy the most. What songs do you think would remind them of happier times or evoke memories? Reach out to family and friends, ask them what songs they used to listen to back in the day, and build a playlist you think your loved one with dementia will enjoy. 

 

Eliminate interruptions or distractions

Once you have a playlist, you’ll want to try to eliminate all other competing noises or distractions. Distractions can be overwhelming and overstimulating. To ensure their complete focus is on the music, you’ll want to turn off the TV, close the door, and play the music at a comfortable volume. Avoid music apps or players that include commercials: this might cause confusion and be off-putting. 

 

Dance!

Encourage them to dance, move around, and have fun! It’s one thing to listen to music and another to experience it. Even if you’re clapping along or tapping your fingers against the table, every small action helps them fully indulge in the beauty of music. If you catch a smile on their face, you’re headed in the right direction. 

 

Watch for reactions

It’s not always easy to connect with your loved one with dementia. You may feel like they aren’t catching on right away or don’t feel that excited about a particular song. If you’re getting a negative reaction from them, try changing the song, switching the genre, or simply trying a different activity. 

 

How Senior Care Companions can help

Music doesn’t affect everyone’s cognitive status. Don’t feel discouraged if it doesn’t seem to affect your loved one. There are several ways to build a connection with them and make them feel more comfortable with their surroundings that don’t involve music. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are different for everyone, and you’ll need time and patients to find what works for them. However, you shouldn’t have to go through this journey alone. 

 

At Senior Care Companions, we provide hourly home care and live-in home care solutions for individuals struggling with dementia and Alzheimers. Our trusted caregivers are there to help with everything from medical monitoring to housekeeping and on-call medical services. 

Contact us today to learn how we can help.

Seniors need attention and love during the holidays, just like everyone else. Unfortunately, some people forget to visit their loved ones during the busiest times of the year. 

Finding ways to take care of seniors during the holidays is extremely important. Doing so involves helping them with their physical, mental, and emotional needs. Let’s look into the ways you can take care of seniors during the holiday season.

Hire a Service

Some seniors might not be able to help themselves with different tasks such as:

  • Mobility to go places
  • Remembering important details and schedules
  • Assistance with motor skills

Whatever you may need, we here at Senior Care Companions can help. We offer various services to help seniors each day. You can find assistants to help them 24/7, or just a few hours of the day.

 

While you should help seniors when you can, you may need professional help. After all, you can’t be at their sides 24/7, so see if you can find a reliable service to look after them.

Plan Fun Activities

Seniors can face boredom during the holidays, especially if they don’t have people to spend time with them. Coming up with fun activities you can do with one another is important to their mental and emotional wellbeing. Potential activities include:

  • Sit down and play board games together
  • Enjoy holiday activities like eating or watching movies
  • Go for a walk through the park

Focus your attention on letting them have fun. Doing so can help you take care of them emotionally and mentally. For example, they could feel happy after the activities or thankful you thought of them.

Seniors can potentially become lonely and depressed during the holidays, so take the time to plan fun activities for them. Doing so can help them overcome the mundane and boring moments in their lives.

Prepare Them Ahead of Time

Some seniors may like to stick with their schedules. If you know seniors like this, you should prepare them before any activities. Some seniors may have health problems, so make sure you accommodate them. 

You can do this in multiple ways such as:

  • Ensure they have a way to safely reach the areas if they have to use wheelchairs
  • Give them specific food if they have dietary restrictions
  • Show them pictures of who they’ll see at the event if they suffer from memory loss

You don’t want to worry them, so make sure you take some time to talk and prepare. This can help them understand the plan and feel comfortable during the activity.

Visit Them Regularly

Often people forget to help seniors with their mental and emotional health during the holidays. If you want to help them during the holidays, just visiting them is an easy way to make their day.

Visiting seniors can help them out in many ways:

  • Allows them to talk with someone
  • Shows them others care about their well-being
  • Help them with tasks or anything else they need

When you visit a senior, you can help them feel happy. You can also help them avoid feelings of loneliness or boredom if they have to live away from home. Even if you have seniors in your life who live on their own, you should visit them during the holidays.

Seniors recognize the time you take to visit them, so they’ll appreciate your efforts.

Ask Them What They Want

Sometimes, people try to make decisions for seniors, so you should communicate when possible. If you communicate with them, you can avoid some problems.

  • Ensure they do something they like and avoid boredom
  • Meet their personal needs and keep them safe
  • Learn more about them and their interests

These points can help you find an activity that will make the seniors happy. You don’t want to drag them to an activity they don’t like, so you need to communicate with them. That way, you can find something you’ll both enjoy. 

 

Some people forget to remember each senior as a person. Make sure you show these seniors you care by asking them what they want. As you do so, you can form stronger relationships with them. 

Final Comments

The holidays give you a great opportunity to show your love to the seniors in your life. Whether you want to help relatives in your family or the local seniors, you can make the holidays better for them.

If you want to help these seniors out, try out the ideas above. If you need assistance in taking care of the seniors in your life, reach out to Senior Care Companions.

Have any Questions? Just give us a call, we would love to help in any way.

“Quality Care You Can Trust – Since 2004”

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