BrightStar Care of Wellington/Palm Beach is now sponsoring a music therapy program to help patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, music has a profound effect on people with Alzheimer’s disease because rhythmic and other well-rehearsed responses require little to no cognitive or mental processing.
With that in mind, BrightStar Care, a home care agency that also provides medical staffing solutions, is supporting a music therapy program to help its residents.
“People with Alzheimer’s or dementia are influenced by the motor center of the brain that responds directly to auditory rhythmic cues,” said Nick Matzirakis, owner of BrightStar Care of Wellington/Palm Beach. “Our residents express happiness and gratitude for the music program.”
BrightStar Care sponsors music therapy provided by the Palm Beach Music Therapy Institute at the Carlisle Legacy Court Community. The sessions are provided weekly.
“This is an interactive session in which elderly participants engage in making music, singing and dancing along,” Matzirakis said. “Music helps stimulate their cognitive awareness, enables memory recall, and enhances their mood and emotional state by relieving stress.”
Music also offers a sense of control, provides movement and vocal fluency, and fosters social interaction.
“I can see an instant change and improvement in their moods as soon as the music starts,” Matzirakis said. “Some residents who are traditionally less active will even get up and start dancing, clapping and playing simple musical instruments.”
BrightStar Care of Wellington/Palm Beach provides quality home care, senior care, caregivers and medical staffing solutions to families and businesses in Wellington, Greenacres and West Palm Beach.
Brightstar Care’s services include companion care, skilled care, personal care, neurological disorder care, child care, transportation services and more.
For more info., call (561) 515-4477, or visit www.brightstarcare.com/wellington.
