the music connection

Ocala-based guardianship organization brings the joy of music to dementia patients.

› By JoAnn Guidry

Smiles. Feet tapping. Dancing.

Such was the immediate response by Ocala Health and Rehabilitation’s Memory Care Unit patients as they listened to music via iPod headphones. The iPods were the initial six of the Heart of Florida’s Alive Inside project. Heart of Florida is a chapter of the Florida State Guardianship Association. The latter is a non-profit dedicated to promoting the protection, dignity and rights of incapacitated people, as well as increasing the professionalism of guardianship through education, networking and legislative action.

“The Alive Inside project was initiated by then Heart of Florida chapter president Olivia Baird,” says Herman Hale, a retired registered nurse, professional guardian and current Heart of Florida chapter president. “It was inspired by a movie of the same name about a social worker who used music therapy for dementia patients and had very positive results. Olivia thought this would be a great project for us to take on this year.”

After the iPods were purchased at a discount through Walmart, Brandon Jones of Boy Scout Troop 564 agreed to program the music as part of his community service project. Jones programed 30-40 songs per iPod, including the music genres of blues, country, classical, big band, religious and the ‘50s. Once the iPods were programmed, they were brought in early April to Ocala Health and Rehabilitation, which had agreed to be part of the Alive Inside project.

“We were very excited to get the iPods to patients,” says Hale. “We were hoping for some positive feedback. When we arrived, Alice Constant, the activities director at OHR, had a room full of Memory Care Unit residents.

As the iPods were passed around, the response was amazing.”

Constant agrees, saying, “Patients smiled right away; some got up and started dancing. It was wonderful to see that kind of response. Now the iPods are available every day to patients, and many request them.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, research has shown that music can shift mood, manage stress-induced agitation, stimulate positive interaction, facilitate cognitive function and coordinate motor movements. This, according to the AFA, is because music influences the motor center of the brain that responds directly to auditory rhythmic cues.

“Alice (Constant) is compiling outcome data for us to use to show how positive the program is,” says Hale. “We want to expand the program to other dementia facilities. We want Alive Inside to become a community-wide project.”