Stimulating memories and restoring connection in Dementia: The power of Music

Berg-Cross, L., & Johnson, J. (2015). Stimulating memories and restoring connection in Dementia: The power of Music. PsycCritiques, 60, 3
http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cf=search.displayRecord&uid=2014-55020-001
Authors
Berg-Cross, Linda – Department of Psychology, Howard University
Johnson, Joshua – Department of Neurology, Tulane University in New Orleans
Keywords
memory; dementia; music therapy
Abstract
Reviews the film Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory directed and written by Michael Rossato-Bennett (2014). The healing power of music is a profound and defining aspect of humanity. This documentary is a heart-warming and mobilizing work, highlighting the ability of music to rouse emotions and memories from patients suffering from dementia. Although research supports the effectiveness of music therapy for patients with dementia, it is the film’s ability to let viewers see the change in patients as they connect to the music and their memories that speak of a truth deeper than most empirical research can convey. Despite this evidence, the initiative of social worker Dan Cohen is hindered by the nursing home industry’s marriage to the medical model, which promotes the use of pharmacological interventions over alternative psychosocial treatments. The documentary is educational, radicalizing, entertaining, and essential viewing for psychologists.