According to Dianne Tow, when treating patients
stricken with Alzheimer's disease, music therapy frequently works when
nothing else does.
Sherrill House in Boston, MA – where Tow directs the
Music Therapy program – has come to recognize this tendency. Unlike
many similar facilities, Sherrill House conducts music therapy sessions
seven days a week and made Tow's position one of the full-time variety.
“Facilities like ours typically outsource when it
comes to music therapy,” Tow explained. “We're the only facility I know
of with someone on board full-time. It just shows how committed
Sherrill House is to this type of therapy.”
And there's such a deep level of commitment thanks
to the positive results Tow's program has procured over the years. When
it comes to Alzheimer's patients, music therapy really does speak to
those for whom language no longer has meaning.
“The results we get here are amazing,” said Melissa
King, director of Sherrill House's Volunteers and Recreational
Services. “We have a very wide range of Alzheimer's patients: Some are
verbal and mobile, while others are immobile and hardly communicate.
And the music will produce a positive reaction, no matter what
condition the patient is in.”
Combating 'sundowning'
Sherrill House's Music Therapy program does a
session with Alzheimer's patients every day at 3:30 p.m. The session is
meant to coincide with “sundowning,” which is a term used to describe
the late-in-the-day, increased anxiety and negative behavior that
afflicts those with Alzheimer's.
According to Tow, the music's calming effect is
quite noticeable. Breathing rates decrease, movement associated with
agitation slows, patients begin to smile.
“Music can really address a person's emotional
needs,” Tow said. “Once it starts, you can actually see folks starting
to relax. It's especially beneficial during that 'sundowning' portion
of the day, which can really be a difficult time for some of our
patients.”
Music therapy has other uses, as well, particularly
as a stimulant: The rhythms can be used to spur individuals to
exercise, thus increasing strength, endurance, and range of motion. It
can also encourage conversation – the therapy sessions typically take
place with groups as large as 10, focus on particular themes, and
feature live musicians.
Just as important, the program helps strengthen the
bonds between those suffering from Alzheimer's and their loved ones. As
many know, the disease can severely weaken the lines of communication
between family members.
“This type of therapy allows the Alzheimer's patient
to communicate to family without words,” Tow explained. “When a family
member sees them responding positively to this type of stimulation, it
can be very reassuring.”
Getting through when nothing else will
Tow said the most touching results involve those who
are close to the end of their lives. In many instances, these
individuals are in the late stages of Alzheimer's, no longer recognize
family members, and respond to little stimulation.
Tow talked of a particular patient who was virtually
unresponsive to both relatives and staff. Tow played the American
standard “Side By Side” for her and the response was almost immediate:
The woman began tapping her foot and then by the end – much to the
amazement of the Sherrill House staff watching – was actually singing
along.
“Music can get through to someone when nothing else
will,” Tow said. “Science has told us that the part of the brain that
processes music remains intact, even at the end-stages of Alzheimer's
disease. It's incredible to see its effect on people.”
Sherrill House is an independent, not-for-profit organization. It has
affiliations with the Massachusetts Extended Care Federation (MECF),
MassAging, Healthcare Dimensions Hospice, Match-up Interfaith
Volunteers, and the Jamaica Plain Eldercare Network. More information
can be found at www.sherrillhouse.org or by calling (617) 731-2400.
