Alive Inside: Awakening the Soul Through Music
Imagine a world without music? No Doris Day, no Glenn Miller, no Frank Sinatria, no Elvis Presley, no Beatles, no Beach Boys, no Handel, no Pavarotti, no John Newton . . . and the list goes on and on. Is this the kind of world you would enjoy? Now imagine a world with music. Not just any music, but your favorite music! Music that sends you back in time to when you were a child, to your wedding day, to your family car trips, to your worship services. Music not only is a cognitive stimuli but also it triggers the emotions and feelings that go with memory. Music that is a part of your life story . . . a part of you! How does that make you feel?
In the documentary film “Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory,” one man makes it his life purpose to bring music to nursing homes all across America through providing residents with small music devices called iPods, specially programmed with the music they once loved. This film reveals the power music has to trigger memory and help bring residents to their potential. With music we can be more fully alive!
Homestead Village’s staff and residents have been viewing and discussing the “Alive Inside” documentary. And our program leaders recently earned their Music & Memory certification. The team will train our staff not only to understand the role of music therapy, but also in how to set up, store and use customized iPods with our residents here at the ACC. We hope in time that we will go from ten iPods to every resident with an iPod musical device. We welcome all of Homestead Village and the greater community to join us this year in making our home “come alive”!
The recent implementation of the program has been incredible results, and Staff, Residents, and their Families are seeing firsthand what a difference music can make in someone’s life.
If you are interested in getting involved or finding out more about how you can help, contact Katie Whallon (Life Enrichment Coordinator) through email at kwhallon@hvillage.org or by phone at 717-397-4831 x240.
