Old hits against dementia

Dementia: Schlager awaken the memory

02/01/2015

The music can develop a positive effect on the brain, has long been known. In dementia patients, pieces of music from previous years often arouse forgotten memories and often they begin to sing along, although their language ability was hardly ever available in everyday life. The music project „Sound and life“ for people with dementia starts here and tries to awaken the memories of senior citizens in his performances in old people's homes with old hitters.

In December was „Sound and life“ in Kursana domicile in Buchholz (district Harburg) and played old hits like for example „Capri-Fischer“, „Can love be sin??“ or „Without a thriller, the Mimi never goes to bed“, reports Kursana Residenzen GmbH. Right at the first song („You're lucky with the women, Bel Ami“) the spark had jumped over and many had begun to sing along - defying their dementia. Here it becomes clear how the music awakens memories and thus also a piece can improve the lifestyle of dementia patients.

Dementia patients sing old hits
Initiators of the music project were the rock musician Rainer Schumann (ex-drummer at „Fury in the Slaughterhouse“) and the dementia coach Graziano Zampolin. Also Oliver Perau (former singer of the Hanoverian band Terry Hoax) was present at the performance in Bucholz. As this at the concert in Kursana domicile Buchholz the hit „Bel Ami“ from the 1930s, many of the seniors would have been able to sing along every line even after decades - „and that, although some of them are now suffering from dementia“, This is the message of Kursana Residenzen GmbH. Since about one and a half years touring „Sound and life“ with professional musicians by senior citizen institutions, with familiar melodies and singing lessons to awaken the memories of dementia patients and improve their sense of life. Music instead of pills is the motto of Graziano Zampolin.

Old memories are awakened
The effects of the performances on the residents are quite convincing, according to the musicians. „It's always a miracle to see our listeners blossom through the music“, emphasizes Rainer Schumann. For example, sing „someone who does not speak anymore, suddenly whole stanzas. Or a man who has forgotten that he once played guitar, takes us back to the instrument“, reports the project initiator. These are very moving moments. Has more than 60 concerts „Sound and life“ last year, 13 of them in senior citizen facilities of Kursana Residenz GmbH. „But nowhere were people as happy as singing here in Buchholz“, Oliver Perau emphasized the good mood at the last concert of the year.

Soundtrack of life
According to Graziano Zampolin has „every human being a soundtrack of his life“, at the certain events „like first love or beautiful travel usually associated with certain songs“ are. This also applies to the resident Hannelore Ollrogge (85), the hit „Tell me quando, tell me when ... “ was even invited to dance by Graziano Zampolin. She remembers that in the fifties she had a lot of dancing with her husband. „The war was finally over, life was fun again“, Ollrogge is cited in the press release of Kursana Residenzen GmbH. Later, the obligations of family and work were added, so that there was not much time left for dancing. „It feels good to be reminded of this carefree time“, reports the elderly woman. „We have already been able to gather many positive examples of how music awakens feelings and can sustainably support biographical remembrance work“, explains Graziano Zampolin.

Improved motor skills, increasing awareness of life
The music project is scientifically accompanied „Sound and life“ by Professor Eckart Altenmüller from the Musikhochschule Hannover. „In so far about 50 test persons, we have found great effects in mood and motor skills“, quotes the „Berlin morning mail“ the music professor. The nursing staff had recorded the behavior of the residents at the events by means of questionnaires. The spokesman for the German Alzheimer's Association, Hans-Jürgen Freter, was convinced by the positive effects of the music, according to the newspaper. It is amazing that older people sometimes can not even remember their breakfast, but they remember stuttering the songs of their lives. „Therapies with music, exercise and dancing are definitely a way to mentally and physically stimulate the sick and thus be able to penetrate their feelings“, quotes the „Berlin morning mail“ Hans-Jürgen Freter. It is about the quality of life of people and about not leaving them alone, Freter continued.

The guests of the event in Bucholz expressed their enthusiasm at the end of the concert with long applause and in the end Oliver Perau sang again as a third encore „Bel Ami“. In view of the clearly visible success of the project, its initiators now want to found an academy in Hanover in order to pass on their experience to people in social and nursing professions. (Fp)