ALIVE INSIDE: How did we get it so wrong. Music and Dementia

[yahoo2u2]

We are now experiencing the onset of vast numbers of our families developing dementia in its many forms.



I have just watched this











www.aliveinside.us/



I just dont know why we are doing this. Drug them up to keep them quiet.



I think we could push for some support on this in the UK as well.

I was happy to watch this, but I was crying at the same time 

[b1mble]

Some places have been using music with folks who have dementia for years. Journalists have just noticed.

[yahoo2u2]

Jan 17, 2016 21:07:29 GMT b1mble said:

Some places have been using music with folks who have dementia for years. Journalists have just noticed.

I think the problem is SOME

[Chrissie]

Jan 17, 2016 21:01:12 GMT yahoo2u2 said:

We are now experiencing the onset of vast numbers of our families developing dementia in its many forms.



I have just watched this











www.aliveinside.us/



I just dont know why we are doing this. Drug them up to keep them quiet.



I think we could push for some support on this in the UK as well.

I was happy to watch this, but I was crying at the same time 

My eyes also started to water while watching that video.

You are so right, sadly it is the norm just to drug folks up to keep them happy - another example of the drug companies ruling our lives

[b1mble]

Oddly enough, American mental health types were appalled by the quantity of drugs used in dementia care here.
But had no concerns about physically restraining patients for extended periods. A court here would be likely to dish up a prison sentence to anyone authorising or doing that.

From what I've heard from the American Consumer/Survivor/eX-patient types (C/S/X) restraint is very, very common in mental health care in the US. As in 5-point restraint, each wrist and ankle and a waist belt. Sometimes with a headband as well.

Care work is hard (and often unpleasant) work, badly paid and under poor conditions. Usually in chronically understaffed establishments because it is hard to keep good people who are routinely overworked, get paid little and ignored by management about their concerns.

[yahoo2u2]

I did not want it to be about the health care system per se, but about how we have missed the fundamental aspect that music is a key to our memories. We ALL know that when we hear a song, we can remember where we were and what we were doing and with etc.

I dont think anyone has never experienced this. For example, a breakup and every song seems to be a sad song on the radio and on every station.

I think we are wired for these memory links and jogs. And they missed it? And if we have family now going through this, perhaps (just perhaps) a little £5 mp3 player may just make a difference. I really dont know why I posted this, but I felt I had to do something.

[Perpetua]

It's still in it's infancy as ' treatment ' for Dementia . . . . but Therapy Animals can also offer benefit to sufferers.

www.alzheimersproject.org/About-Us/News-Photos-and-Calendar/Latest-News/Pets-and-Dementia

There's nothing considered unusual with the assistance they can give to Blind, Deaf and Disabled people after all.

[yahoo2u2]

I fully agree that we are in the grips of Big Pharma and its now setting into our society as "we have a pill for that", just like an "app for that" culture. I see this with my grandchildren. They sniff, cough or burp (well not so much a burp) and they scream for "medicine" or such.

I know things move on, but going to the doctor was rare as was having a medicine cabinet when I was a kid and we just got over it.

Maybe its just an age thing, but I dont see a progression, but more a manipulation of society and populations by the large corporations to make sure "we need them, or else".

Steve Jobs got it right when he said about the iphone. People dont need an Iphone, but they will want one". We dont need pills as such, but we want one.

[b1mble]

The BBC did a series on "Singing for the Brain" a while back. This unfortunately doesn't seem to be on iPlayer, nor does the Alzheimer's Choir documentary.

[b1mble]

One oddity is that some folk who can no longer speak after a stroke can still sing. There are different parts of the brain involved. Music can communicate directly with emotions - I remember one person who had severe learning difficulties and had never learned to speak. However, anything played in a minor key would cause this person to burst into tears. I'm no music expert but there is a direct connection to the emotions not easily reached in other ways.

Another advantage of music is that it tends to block out noise. Folks with dementia find it hard when there is more than one stimulus at a time, by eliminating the noises around them, music allows far greater communication.

I've screamed at enough care staff who believed that volume controls only went up and nothing had an off switch. You'd go in in the morning and every radio in the place would be blasting out what the care staff wanted to listen to - almost never what the person they were supposed to be caring for might have liked. The overall effect even without any cognitive deficit was of a racket where any form of focus was impossible.

Simply by getting rid of other distractions, you have a better chance with communication.

[Chrissie]

Jan 17, 2016 22:06:46 GMT yahoo2u2 said:

I fully agree that we are in the grips of Big Pharma and its now setting into our society as "we have a pill for that", just like an "app for that" culture. I see this with my grandchildren. They sniff, cough or burp (well not so much a burp) and they scream for "medicine" or such.

I know things move on, but going to the doctor was rare as was having a medicine cabinet when I was a kid and we just got over it.

Maybe its just an age thing, but I dont see a progression, but more a manipulation of society and populations by the large corporations to make sure "we need them, or else".

Steve Jobs got it right when he said about the iphone. People dont need an Iphone, but they will want one". We dont need pills as such, but we want one.

I couldn't agree more.

Playing music to anyone with dementia, isn't going to profit the drug companies (far from it) or anyone else, hence why it isn't being promoted

[letsavit]

Jan 17, 2016 21:52:07 GMT Perpetua said:

It's still in it's infancy as ' treatment ' for Dementia . . . . but Therapy Animals can also offer benefit to sufferers.

www.alzheimersproject.org/About-Us/News-Photos-and-Calendar/Latest-News/Pets-and-Dementia

There's nothing considered unusual with the assistance they can give to Blind, Deaf and Disabled people after all.

Even when my nan got to the point of not recognising me anymore I would take Maggie (my bulldog) over and she would call her by name and go get her some biscuits like she always did.....

[letsavit]

The relatives that get affected too....my mum brought up 3 children alone, worked full time with little money, no social help/hand outs like now days. School on her back because I didn't go, regular phone calls from the police because either me or my brother was in a cell.

Yet she went through all that and at 70 years old had to go docs to for the first time in her life and ask for happy pills because of the stress of looking after her mum with dementia.

[Bobsbeer]

I think this is more complicated than just a big pharma dominance issue. I go into care homes on a regular basis as part of my job. Most are very calm places. Often the only noise is the TV in the lounge. I agree that the chemical restraint or cosh is often the first answer of most medics who are called to see someone, but that is often the last resort. The staff will have been trying all sorts of different approaches before calling a doctor. Maybe giving someone an mp3 player will help in some cases, but I suspect may only have a transitory effect due to it being a distraction, dementia is more complicated than that. Dementia is very misunderstood, and has different causes, and causes different reactions in patients. Sadly there is no one answer when it comes to dementia care. I agree drugs are not the only answer, but they do have their place. Times have changed in that regard, and doctors are using less than they were a few years ago, as we better understand dementia care, but there is a very long way to go.