Therapy Center is grateful to be able to work with several nursing home facilities that are certified in a program called Music and Memory. The purpose of the program is simple and effective. According to the Music and Memory program, they “train care professionals how to set up personalized music playlists, delivered on iPods and other digital devices, for those in their care. These musical favorites tap deep memories not lost to dementia and can bring participants back to life, enabling them to feel like themselves again, to converse, socialize, and stay present.”
To learn a little bit more about this remarkable concept, we visited with our therapy team at Courtyard Manor Nursing Home in Lafayette to see how they utilize the program to benefit patients who have cognitive and behavioral challenges, as well as some who use music as motivation to come to therapy.
Using Music to Unlock the Mind
Courtyard Manor is a certified Music and Memory facility. As part of the grant program, Courtyard was awarded 15 iPods, headphones, and an iTunes gift card to load the players with music. Dawn Miller, Administrator for Courtyard Manor, says, “The beautiful thing about Music and Memory is watching the patients who are on our behavioral unit literally come alive. I can see their eyes light up as the music plays through their headphones.”
Not only are these devices used during general nursing home activities, but our therapists also actively use music playlists to work with residents. Patients who are affected by cognitive or behavioral issues, as well as those who need encouragement and motivation to attend their therapy sessions, all benefit from the use of music.
Come along with us and get to know some of the patients who benefit from this program.
Laura
Before the Music: Laura has behavioral issues and is visually impaired. She struggles with judgment, reasoning, and impulsivity. Our therapists work often with her to address safety awareness because of her deficits.
Now: Once our therapists introduced country and western music to Laura, she became much more subdued during therapy. Some days she prefers to listen to the rosary.
While listening to the music, Laura is more socially appropriate and willing to listen to instructions given to her by our therapy team. She is able to work on several deficits using the clothes line in order to address standing balance and dynamic reaching in physical therapy; fine motor and visual perception in occupational therapy; cognitive reasoning, safety awareness and matching in speech therapy.
Mary Jane
Before the Music: Mary Jane moved to Courtyard Manor with her sister. She was living alone and experienced several falls; Mary Jane also suffers with depression. Soon after her last fall, Mary Jane decided she needs to be in a safer environment.
Now: Mary Jane is motivated to come to therapy because the music calms her and makes her more socially appropriate. She is able to clear her mind while listening to the music of her choice. This allows her to complete her therapy exercises in a timely manner. Music also helps Mary Jane effectively accomplish activities of daily living, such as folding laundry.
Joann
Before the Music: Joann had a prior stroke and came to therapy to improve her walking and rising from a seated position, among other deficits.
Now: Joann’s goals are much the same as her sister’s. She is motivated to come to therapy because she is able to enjoy her favorite country music. Because of the music, Joann takes instruction from the therapists more readily and is more socially appropriate. Our speech therapist uses worksheets as a tool, which requires Joann to read, comprehend ,and complete instructions in a timely manner. These exercises improve her cognition, memory, and reasoning skills.
“Music helps all of our patients in choice-making and achieving functional independence. Many of our behavioral patients have trouble negotiating potential hazards in their surroundings, and they struggle with reasoning. Music helps to calm them and improves focus on the task at hand,” explains Dona Dietlein, Speech Therapist.
We Are Inspired to Give Back
Several of our partner nursing homes are certified Music and Memory facilities. Our therapy teams have expressed interest in earning additional iPods due to the demand from therapy patients and residents. Therapy Center wants to help in this cause but not just for our Music and Memory facilities. We feel that all of our nursing home partners can benefit from this simple, yet highly effective concept.
In celebration of 15 years as partner in rehabilitation, Therapy Center is hosting a Giving Back project we call Mind on the Melody. Much like the Music and Memory program we discussed above, we are collecting new and used iPods, headphones and iTunes gift cards to provide to our 30+ partner nursing homes throughout the state. Some of the iPods will be given to homes who already have the Music and Memory program and who need more gear, and others will be given to our therapy teams who plan to utilize the same technique with patients in therapy.
The purpose of this project is to improve the quality of life of nursing home residents who have cognitive and physical challenges by providing them with music during therapy. Collection of these items start on February 20th and will end on March 31st. All donations will stay local.
If you are interested in making a donation of a new/used iPod, iTunes gift card or headphones (no ear buds please), you can drop them off to one of the drop sites below:
Therapy Center – Carencro: 204 E. St. Peter Street, Carencro, LA
Therapy Center – Jennings: 2002 Johnson St. Ste 100, Jennings, LA
Therapy Center – Corporate Office: 1 Hospital Drive, Suite 200, Jennings, LA
Lemoine Therapy Services: 554 W. Tunica Dr. Marksville, LA
Nursing Home Collection Sites: PLEASE BRING TO THE THERAPY DEPARTMENT
| 1 – ACADIA PARISH |
| • Acadia St. Landry Guest Home, Church Point |
| • The Road Home Therapy Center, Church Point |
| 2 – AVOYELLES PARISH |
| • Avoyelles Manor, Dupont |
| • Bayou Vista Community Care Center, Bunkie |
| • Bayou Chateau Nursing Center, Simmesport |
| • Colonial Nursing Home, Marksville |
| • Hessmer Nursing Home, Hessmer |
| • Oak Haven Community Care Center, Centerpoint |
| • Riviere de Soleil Community Care Center, Mansura |
| • Valley View Nursing Home, Marksville |
| 3 – BOSSIER PARISH |
| • Whispering Pines, Plain Dealing |
| 4 – CALCASIEU PARISH |
| • Lake Charles Care Center, Lake Charles |
| 5 – CATAHOULA PARISH |
| • The Columns Community Care Center, Jonesville |
| 6 – EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH |
| • Old Jefferson Community Care Ctr, Baton Rouge |
| 7 – EVANGELINE PARISH |
| • Basile Care Center, Basile, 337-432-6663 |
| 8 – IBERIA PARISH |
| • Maison Teche Nursing Center, Jeanerette |
| 9 – JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH |
| • Jeff Davis Living Center, Jennings |
| 10 – LAFAYETTE PARISH |
| • Amelia Manor Nursing Home, Lafayette |
| • Courtyard Assisted Living, Lafayette |
| • Courtyard Manor, Lafayette |
| • River Oaks Retirement Manor, Lafayette |
| 11 – LASALLE PARISH |
| • Lasalle Nursing Home, Jena |
| 12 – NATCHITOCHES PARISH |
| • Natchitoches Community Care Ctr, Natchitoches |
| 13 – OUACHITA PARISH |
| • Ridgecrest Community Care Center, West Monroe |
| 14 – POINTE COUPEE PARISH |
| • Lakeview Manor Nursing Home, New Roads |
| 15 – RAPIDES PARISH |
| • Tioga Community Care Center, Tioga |
| 16 – ST. LANDRY PARISH |
| • Tri Community Nursing Center, Palmetto |
| 17 – ST TAMMANY PARISH |
| • Greenbriar Community Care Center, Slidell |
| • Guest House of Slidell, Slidell |
| 18 – VERMILION PARISH |
| • Gueydan Memorial, Gueydan |
| 19 – WEBSTER PARISH |
| • Carrington Place, Springhill |
Have questions? contact Kristi Fredieu, Marketing Director, for more information, 337-384-9791.
Click here for the Mind on the Melody Flyer
Please visit our website www.therapyctr.com and Facebook page to find out ways to get involved and support our nursing home partners.
