Music has been a central part of my life since I was a child. My parents would always be playing records during my young years- Benny Goodman, Glen Miller and so many more. Big band music was their favorite. My parents bought me a little record player when I was 12. I saved all of my chore and babysitting money to buy 7 inch and sometimes even 12 inch long plays down the street at the record shop. Rock and roll was embedded in my soul. To this day there is music playing in our home all day. With the advent of Spotify and Pandora - every kind of music is at your fingertips.
"Beloved Music Can Renew Lives Lost to Dementia" is a very true statement. Research over the years consistently demonstrates that even in the last stages of dementia that music can reach us. Music is intimately connected to memory -and long term memories are deeply embedded long term in our brains. Music "can promote numerous benefits, including triggering memories, enhancing relationships, affirming a sense of self, facilitating communication, reducing agitation, and alleviating depression and anxiety"
Shohreh Aghdashloo made "The Cuban" as a tribute to her father who was helped greatly by listening to music in his dementia. Here's a sneak peak at the film:
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