O olfato pode ser o sentido mais associado à memória, mas a audição acaba de dar um grande salto nessa mesma direção.
O documentário "Alive Inside" , que estreia na próxima semana em Nova York, investiga a tentativa de um assistente social de envolver idosos com demência e Alzheimer em um lar de repouso. Ao descobrir o sucesso da iniciativa, ele convida o neurologista Oliver Sacks , e os dois embarcam em um experimento para observar o impacto da música nessa população.
O vídeo acima se tornou um sucesso viral à medida que mais pessoas o descobrem, e não é surpresa: a conexão das pessoas com a música, principalmente a música da juventude, evoca emoções fortes, e alguns pesquisadores até sugerem que seja uma necessidade para as pessoas.
Ray Mueller, membro do Conselho Consultivo do Shumei Arts Council of America, disse ao Psychology Suite 101: “Pesquisas identificaram áreas específicas de atividade mental ligadas a respostas emocionais à música. Parece que a música é uma necessidade humana e o cérebro é capaz de funcionar para satisfazer essa necessidade.”
Para as populações idosas, a música tem sido associada a tudo, desde ajudar a descobrir memórias em pacientes com Alzheimer até reduzir quedas durante o exercício .
O vídeo também tem ligação com a Music & Memory , uma organização dedicada a ajudar os idosos a se conectarem com a música, inclusive coletando iPods usados para doação.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
SHARE YOUR REFLECTION
5 PAST RESPONSES
Arlen, you're a lovely example of the kind of "vibrational" nonsense that surrounds our culture today. Music is about emotion, the soul, not vibrations, not some mystical "energy" that "puts organs in tune".
Music is frankly MUCH too important to be subjected to this sort of shallow New Age silliness! BTW I named my son after Oliver Sacks. You'd do well to pay attention to his teachings.
I lead drum circles in nursing homes and day care centers. I have 20 small drums and each person drums which creates a vibration which goes in the ears and vibrates the water around the brain, the spinal column and every organ. One vibration creates another and help put organs into their proper tune. Listening to music is great but drumming gentle drum strokes and singing old songs...Alzheimer's always remember the songs...is even a more powerful healing.
I invite each to use their own voice...to hum, to tone and finally to laugh. That creates the highest energy of the day. With meditation, it can lower blood pressure, stress and put people to sleep.
It is surprising how music touches life. I really enjoy music when am sad there are some tpye and when am happy there is a type. Emotional music helps me get a little strength.
I don't enjoy classic and I become like the singer if the music interests me. May God help the man.
I worked at a nursing home for a year doing my postdoc hours. It was a home filled with a lot of dementia, depression and sadness. I started a music group. Each week, I would play music from the residents' era of growing up. At first, I only had one or two attendees. Soon, the room was full (and the staff was hanging out at the door)! The residents sang, shared memories and came alive. It was such a blessing to be a part of it all! Music really does touch a place inside that brings people alive!
What a wonderful story! Music is so powerful! I have experienced it in my own way when my mother, who is a stroke patient, called and sang happy birthday to me on my answering machine. Her voice was as strong and clear as ever, and I cherish that memory. I encourage everyone to use music as a way to reconnect, you never know what you can awaken in someone special!