Holy Angels’ is excited to announce that we were recently selected by the Rotary Club of Shreveport to receive a 2019 Rotary Civic Grant in the amount of $4,000.00. These funds will be used to purchase iPods, specialized headphones and iTunes gift cards as we implement MUSIC & MEMORY® initiatives with our residents and program participants. MUSIC & MEMORY® is rooted in extensive neuroscience research. This special program helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, especially those with Alzheimer’s and dementia, to find renewed meaning and connection in their lives through the gift of personalized music.
In an article written by the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K., researchers say:
“People with Down’s Syndrome are more likely than the general population to develop Alzheimer’s dementia. They are also more likely to develop Alzheimer’s dementia at an earlier age.”
Holy Angels’ care professionals have been specially trained on how to set up personalized music playlists, delivered on iPods and other digital devices, for those in their care. According to Music and Memory, “These musical favorites tap deep memories not lost to dementia and can bring participants back to life, enabling them to feel like themselves again, to converse, socialize and stay present.”
More details on this cutting-edge program can be found on their website, www.musicandmemory.org.
Sidebar:
Testimonial from Christy Parsons, a caretaker at Schlegel Villages in Ontario, Canada –
“One resident used to do a lot of calling out during meals. She couldn’t sit through
dinner. Now her aides set her up with an iPod a half-hour ahead of time. She’s able to sit
and enjoy her meal.”
