Listening to music often brings to mind memories of special events or a specific period of time in a person’s life. For people with memory loss, music provides many additional benefits. Listening to music has been shown to relieve stress, reduce anxiety and depression, and reduce agitation in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Music can also be a way for caregivers to connect with their loved ones experiencing memory loss, even when they may have difficulty communicating in other ways.
The Love Notes Chorus in Austin, Texas, is a special musical ensemble made up of people with mild memory loss, as well as caregivers and other volunteers. This group provides an outlet for those with memory loss to enjoy music, connect with others and their community, and to stimulate areas of their brain associated with musical memories. The chorus even puts on performances for the public!
To listen to members of the Love Notes Chorus share their stories and to listen to them sing, you can visit this link to the NPR website.