Spotify for Dementia Patients...works!

[JerseySteve]

Having a 91-year-old at home with us who has dementia isn't easy. And it is hard for him to be happy, because of his condition. I turned to an unlikely source, an application called SPOTIFY, which Ryan got for his mom and myself after they had a special "family" package. Anyway, I created a 40's playlist for him, with Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and many others. At breakfast, I place my cellphone in front of him with a Bluetooth speaker, and he absolutely adores it, as Spotify shows him the album cover, and he can sing with the vocals. His memory CAN remember these songs, and let's face it, every bit of happiness you can bring if only for a little while, is better than no joy at all. Music is that joyful place, and songs we remember from our youth is a connection to an eternal moment in time that he can recall and smile about.