The Stimulating Effect of Music on Alzheimer's Patients 
In a research paper written in 2003 by Janet Mills of Active Maturity, Mills found that although researchers of Alzheimer's disease approached their studies using different methods, they all seem to have reached the same basic conclusion: "Used either as a tool of therapy or as a sensory stimulus within the everyday living environment, music can provide beneficial results in regards to the functioning level experienced by many late stage Alzheimer's and dementia patients."

Studies showed that using music as a stimulus reduced the amount of pacing and crying behaviors. These two behaviors are identified as highly stressful for caregiving staff due to their potential for self-injury and injury towards others, so the reduction of pacing and crying consequently reduced the amount of stress and helplessness experienced by the caregivers.

Mills writes, "Certain factors, such as an individual's prior knowledge of music, or their familiarity with the music being played may play some role in their reactions, but it does seem to repeatedly show that disruptive behaviors appear to decrease, while appropriate social interactions seem to increase during and immediately following music therapy sessions."

Her conclusion is that "it seems apparent that music therapy can enhance the quality of life for dementia patients by enabling them to be a part of a large variety of activity programs, while improving the job satisfaction of those whose job it is to care for them."

Read this entire research paper presented with permission from the author by downloading it here.

Want to Reach Seniors and their Families? Use the Internet. 
The State of 50+ America 2007 is AARP's 4th annual study, and among other findings, the study reports that Internet use among seniors has risen dramatically. Among the senior population more than half of all those over age 50 are using the Internet as compared with about one in five in 1998. Since the age of those seeking care for parents falls in the 45-55 age group, this is proof positive that the Internet is an ever more powerful tool to reach those who seek care for elderly parents.

This growth in using the Internet among older Americans was significant, and as the AARP study reports, "Americans over the age of 50 rely increasingly on the Internet to communicate with friends and family, keep abreast of the news, search for health and medical information, pay bills, make online purchases, track investments, engage in work-related activities, and more. For this age group, the Internet is rapidly becoming an essential tool of modern life."