Music is known to have an outstanding impact on the physical and mental health of the elderly. It is not only used to help them calm and relax, but can also help them recall certain events and memories from their past- especially if they’re going through dementia. As a Plano Home Care, here are five reasons why you should consider playing music for your senior.
Speech Skills
Seniors often face trouble in communicating their thoughts and needs. They may struggle with finding the right words and can forget things. This is where communicating to them through songs is helpful. Those with Alzheimer’s can often recognize songs, even if they don’t remember anything else and cannot speak. This goes on to show the wonderful effects of music on improving their speech skills.
Social Skills
Music brings about a social aspect that most of the elderly tend to enjoy. At a social gathering, many seniors find it easy to socialize and connect with others if there is a mild music playing in the background. It often injects one’s life with confidence and helps them communicate better with their family members, friends and peers.
Stress Management
This is one of the most important aspects of music. Since time immemorial, music has been known to reduce stress, relax muscles and calm one’s senses. In ancient times, ruling kings would often call in the most skilled musicians to their palace and listen to the finest music before retreating to their bedroom.
Peaceful music is very relaxing for the seniors. Whenever an elderly person is feeling stressed or anxious, a little bit of background music can calm their nerves. The resulting drop in stress and anxiety improves their overall mood for the rest of the day.
Cognitive Skills
If going through Alzheimer’s, your senior loved one is likely to lose their memory as they grow older. It can be extremely heartbreaking for their families to endure them. Luckily, music can help them remember and cherish some of their long-lost memories.
Throughout our lives, our mind associates the music we hear to a memory of the place, time and event in which we heard it. This is why whenever we hear the same music again; we’re reminded of that particular event. For these reasons, healthcare professionals often advice seniors with Alzheimer’s to listen to music from their times in order to collect and recall their old memories.
Exercise
Dancing to music is an excellent way to improve your muscle coordination and body movements. This makes up for a great exercise regimen for your senior. Whenever you feel that your senior is low on energy levels and a long walk may be difficult for them, simply turn on the music and let them dance to it.
Compared to walking, running and exercising, dancing is a relatively low-impact exercise. It is light enough so as not to pump up your heartbeat and put you at risk of suffering from a heart attack. For these reasons, it is one of the most preferred and highly recommended forms of exercises for all seniors alike.