About the Composer: Kelly Stone; English 101; Zeller; Research Paper + Lyric Essay; 22 April, 2016

A Note from the Composer: The inspiration for this paper came from my love of music and future plans to
become
an internist specializing in geriatrics (the health care of elderly people). Many people will begin to

lose
their
memories and/or motor skills as they age, which leads to an increase in medication. In an

attempt
to decrease the amount of medication the elderly have to take, I propose that music therapy could

work
in
tandem with a few key prescriptions to help ease the remainder of their lives. The lyrics of this

paper,
written in the large, blank white spaces, can be read as one whole unit while the notes of main

points/ideas
in each treble clef,
, and base clef,
, were added only for the purpose of emphasis.

Music Therapy Magic

Kelly Stone
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She didnt even need to look at her hands; the music simply flowed
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from her fingertips.
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My grandma suffered under severe dementia and Alzheimers in the last few years of

her life. For a majority of the time I knew her, I never really felt I could reach out to her
because her mind was so distant from reality. However, we shared a deep love of music and
the piano. My grandma seemed to become a completely different person as soon as her fingers
touched the piano keys. She didnt even need to look at her hands; the music simply flowed
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In that moment, I saw the phenomenal power of musical healing bring an
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elderly woman back from the depths of her mind to a high enough level of
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ordered thought to be able to perform beautiful piano pieces from memory.
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from her fingertips. In that moment, I saw the phenomenal power of musical healing bring
an elderly woman back from the depths of her mind to a high enough level of ordered
thought to be able to perform beautiful piano pieces from memory. Her thoughts often
seemed wild and deranged, which made conversations exceedingly difficult, but she could
communicate through the music that flowed from the piano due to the unaffected memory
of her muscles. Using a musical mnemonic device to trigger memory (like the ABCs) is an
old grade-school trick, but researchers have now discovered that music may have practical
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E arly symptoms of A lzheimers usually involve memory loss,
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which leads people to feel disoriented and confused about their
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surroundings.
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for people whose memories have been ravaged by Alzheimers disease 1
applications

Early symptoms of Alzheimers usually involve memory loss, which leads people to
feel disoriented and confused about their surroundings. Music could bring some
stability back into those peoples lives and give them something to focus their thoughts
on, regain their bearings, and the elderly would be able to have a more comfortable, happy,
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Music therapy reaches people who, in all outward appearances, are
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too gone from reality to be pulled back from the dark, never-ending
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chasm of jumbled memories.
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1

(Latest Research: Music).

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Music has a way of touching our souls and once our souls have been
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touched, we can never forget the experience.
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and peaceful

existence until the end. Despondency and depression are common side effects of
dementia in the geriatric patients that could be remedied by the input of specialized attention

through music therapy, which would reawaken happy memories to alleviate the pain. Music

therapy reaches people who, in all outward appearances, are too gone from reality to be pulled
back from the dark, never-ending chasm of jumbled memories. The researchers speculated
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One just needs to realize that once a person is suffering under a
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mental affliction such as dementia or A lzheimers, normal methods
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of communication are futile.
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thatthe brain processes music more globally, whereas memory centers are more localized and
are among the first to be affected by Alzheimers.it may be possible to use musical
mnemonics to teach new information to people with Alzheimers. 1 Music can be registered in
many different parts of the brain, which is why the Alzheimers disease doesnt seem to have
quite the same debilitating effect on a persons ability to comprehend information through
music and singing as it does with just spoken word communication.
Music has a way of touching our souls and once our souls have been touched, we can
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Music has the ability to reconnect some of the neurons in the brain to
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help make a person more responsive to whatever it is one is trying to
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say through the music.
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forget the experience. When we are sad, elated, or just having fun, music is a big part of
never
how we express our feelings, wants and desires. Geriatric people have lost their hold on the

present world but that doesnt mean all their connections have been severed. One just needs to

realize that once a person is suffering under a mental affliction such as dementia or Alzheimers,

normal methods of communication are futile. While the areas of the brain involved in
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Music therapy could be used in tandem to other treatments and then
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the amount that is prescribed could fluctuate according to the needs
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of the patient.
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thinking, planning, and memory are affected by the disease early on, the parts of the brain that
are responsible for motor skills, personality, and emotional control remain relatively intact until
later stages of the disease (Stewart, 2004). 2 Alzheimers is one of the most silent killers at its
onset because one of the first symptoms involves memory loss, which makes the actual
beginning of the disease difficult to separate from plain forgetfulness of a distracted mind.
Music has the ability to reconnect some of the neurons in the brain to help make a person
more responsive to whatever it is one is trying to say through the music. Medication provides
only a brief, unsatisfactory remedy to the plight of the geriatric. However, that is not to say that
drug therapy is completely useless or that it would be advisable to get rid of all prescriptions.
1
2

(Latest Research: Music).

(Cowl).

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A lzheimers disease develops at an excruciatingly slow pace over
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several years through three distinct stages: memory loss, motor skill
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decline,
and severe dementia with almost complete physical dependence
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on others.
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Music therapy could be used in tandem to other treatments and then the amount that is
prescribed could fluctuate according to the needs of the patient. In people with Alzheimers,
their brain is clogged with the growth of beta-amyloid protein plaques and tau protein tangles.

Beta-amyloid plaques are clumps of protein that disrupt the normal networking of neutrons in

your brain, likewise tau tangles are also proteins that are structured more like netting that
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My grandmother would yell and shout for her mom, dad, or just
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simply help by the time she was deep into the third stage of
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A lzheimers.
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inhibits the brains normal connectivity. Alzheimers disease develops at an excruciatingly slow
pace over several years through three distinct stages: memory loss, motor skill decline, and
severe dementia with almost complete physical dependence on others. Oftentimes, a person is
found already at the second stage of Alzheimers before treatment can be initiated and by that
time, the medications may have little to no effect on the patient. My grandmother would yell
and shout for her mom, dad, or just simply help by the time she was deep into the third stage
of Alzheimers. There were no medications that she could take to help bring her back to reality,
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In dead quietness, there is nothing to prevent someone from sinking into
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the deep recesses of their mind.
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easy solution she was subjected to was an overdose of sleeping medications with the
so the
intent of simply silencing her cries. A better strategy to ease her pain would have been to turn

on some upbeat classical music that would help her sleep during the night and allow her some

peace of mind in the presence of comforting music.

Silence can be particularly agitating to some individuals, especially if they are already a
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Thus, emotional awakenings when music is present indicate that the
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limbic system is being engaged and influenced by the pitch and rhythm of
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the melody perceived by the listener.
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little out-of-sync with reality. In dead quietness, there is nothing to prevent someone from
sinking into the deep recesses of their mind. The beneficial effect of music on the
psychological aspect for the elderly was demonstrated inthis study[;] the subjects
experiencing lesser depression or having better emotional feelings implied that music stimuli
had been processed in the limbic system. 4 The limbic system is the neurophysiological
location of emotional states, feelings and sensations. Thus, emotional awakenings when music
is present indicate that the limbic system is being engaged and influenced by the pitch and
rhythm of the melody perceived by the listener. In addition to mental stimulation, creative arts
therapies also have the potential to provide both a personal sense of control and social
4

(Chan).

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Once a person has lost control of his mind, usually a loss of control of
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his body soon follows, but creative arts therapies, like music, can help
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bring back some self-mastery.
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support
two factors cited as important predictors of health outcomes in the elderly (Cohen,
2009; Rodin, 1986, 1989). 2 Losing the ability to care for oneself can be a traumatizing
experience. Once a person has lost control of his mind, usually a loss of control of his body

soon follows, but creative arts therapies, like music, can help bring back some self-mastery.

Researchers in Finland using [functional] magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) found that
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It is hard to say youve truly listened or enjoyed a piece of musical
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composition while never moving a part of your body in time to the music.
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music listening recruits not only the auditory areas of the brain, but also employs large-scale
neural networks. For instance, they discovered that the processing of musical pulse recruits
motor areas in the brain, supporting the idea that music and movement are closely
intertwined. 6 When people listen to music they truly enjoy, most of the time they begin to
tap their foot or bop their heads. It is hard to say youve truly listened or enjoyed a piece of
musical composition while never moving a part of your body in time to the music.
The work to harness the relationship between music and movement will hopefully
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The work to harness the relationship between music and movement will
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hopefully lead to the redevelopment of previously lost motor skills.
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to the redevelopment of previously lost motor skills. Selections from the individuals
lead
young adult yearsages 18 to 25are most likely to have the strongest responses and the

most potential for engagement. Unfamiliar music can also be beneficial because it carries no

memories or emotions. This may be the best choice when developing new responses 5

Older people would respond well to new, completely unknown music because they would have
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Childhood music would also take those elderly back to the good old
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days in their youth and allow them to once again feel like a kid.
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likes and dislikes that have been established much earlier in life. Childhood music would also take
those elderly back to the good old days in their youth and allow them to once again feel like a
kid. Evidence suggests thatlistening to calming or preferred music, canreduce undesirable
behavioral symptoms for people in the more regressed stages of the disease that no longer have
the motor skills or attention span necessary for participation in more refined art activities. 2
Listening to music does not strain ones mental or physical capacities to any extent, therefore is a
useful therapy method to relax an individual rather than indict more stress. However, the quality
of the music would have to be taken into consideration as well as personal preferences.
2

(Cowl).
(Clair).
6 (Cramer).
5

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Listening to music does not strain ones mental or physical capacities
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to any extent, therefore is a useful therapy method to relax an
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individual rather than indict more stress.
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One of my favorite success stories revolves around an elderly woman named Gladys
Wilson who was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2000 and suffered a stroke, which rendered her
virtually non-verbal. 3 She communicated instead mostly through repetitive movements with

her hands. Slow, quiet tapping would indicate calmness or an affirmative answer, whereas fast

and rapid tapping suggested excitement, distress or a cry for help. I dont mention happiness
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Slow, quiet tapping would indicate calmness or an affirmative
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answer, whereas fast and rapid tapping suggested excitement, distress
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or a cry for help.
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here because sometimes a tear or two could be seen trickling down her weather-beaten face. In
an attempt to assist Wilson in more developed communication skills through various forms of
therapy, a Jewish woman named Naomi Feil was recruited. Feil is an internationally renowned
expert in reaching people with Alzheimers and founded Validation Therapy. Validation
Therapy allows geriatric people like Wilson to still feel worthy of attention and be treated with
tender loving care. Feil sang Christian hymns to Wilson, while letting the intensity of her voice
match the energy of Wilson who tapped along to the songs in varying rhythms. These hymns
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Feil is an internationally renowned expert in reaching people with
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A lzheimers and founded V alidation Therapy. V alidation Therapy allows
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geriatric people like Wilson to still feel worthy of attention and be treated
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with tender loving care.
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been childhood favorites of Wilson; her energetic, controlled tapping to the songs
had
displayed the level of intense concentration, order and focus within Wilsons mind as Feil sang

to her. Wilson also communicated through physical touch. She would take hold of Feils

shoulder and continue tapping to express her pleasure and strength of her emotions that she

couldnt convey through words or writing. Feil was able to be a part of a miraculous
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These hymns had been childhood favorites of Wilson; her energetic,
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controlled tapping to the songs displayed the level of intense concentration,
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order and focus within Wilsons mind as Feil sang to her.
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breakthrough with Wilson brought about by compassionate touch, behavioral mirroring, and a
deep connection between patient and practitioner. During one of the music therapy sessions,
Wilson began to whisper along to the hymn and answer simple questions such as Are you
happy? and Do you feel loved? After being robbed of her ability to speak, Wilson was able
to find her voice again through music, which helped to rebuild some of the neuron connections
within her mind related to speech.

(Memorybridge).

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Feil was able to be a part of a miraculous breakthrough with
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Wilson brought about by compassionate touch, behavioral
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mirroring, and a deep connection between patient and practitioner.
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If music therapy had played a bigger role in my grandmothers life, if she could have
been more tenderly and compassionately cared for, she would have had a more peaceful end to
her life than the abrupt one brought about by a lack of patience. Music had always been a main

part of my grandmothers life; she grew and flourished in the embrace of music. Similarly,

people from all around the world live in cultures saturated with music. Music stays in
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Music stays in peoples memories all through their lives and is a
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source
of comfort and non-verbal expression. I hope to incorporate the
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techniques
of music therapy in my future profession as a doctor
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specializing in internal medicine and geriatrics.
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peoples memories all through their lives and is a source of comfort and non-verbal expression.
I hope to incorporate the techniques of music therapy in my future profession as a doctor
specializing in internal medicine and geriatrics. My one main goal as a doctor is to help my
patients live the rest of their lives as pain-free and happy as possible.

Annotated Works Cited

Chan, Moon Fai, Engle Angela Chan, and Esther Mok. "Effects of Music on Depression and Sleep
Quality in Elderly People: A Randomised Controlled Trial." Complementary Therapies in Medicine,
18.3-4 (2010): 150-59. ScienceDirect. Elsevier Ltd, June 2010. Web. 16 Mar.
2016. http://www.sciencedirect.com. A research group developed at the School of Nursing,
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, set out to examine the effect of music of the quality of
sleep in elderly people. This study was very useful in describing how music can be felt and
reacted to by our limbic system. Listening to music often provokes some feeling from within
ourselves, which is indicative of our limbic system being engaged. This study also concluded
that while music therapy could be a useful treatment method, many factors must be taken
into consideration, such as type of music, familiarity of music, and comfortableness of the
listener. I used this source to describe aspects of the limbic system that I believed to be
important to the success of music therapy in individuals suffering with Alzheimers.
Clair, Alicia A., and Concetta M. Tomaino. "Alzheimers Disease and Music Therapy." Alzheimers
Disease and Music Therapy. Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 28 Jan. 2016. Web. 26 Feb.
2016. http://www.alzfdn.org. The Alzheimers Foundation of America works to educate the
public on the topic of Alzheimers as well as offer suggestions/solutions of how to help those
who are suffering from the disease. This site was very useful in describing just how music can
be used to reconnect with patients who have dementia. This site mentions that while
dementia patients may lose their ability to verbally and physically communicate, such people
are not quiet yet at a loss that they dont know how to move to the beat of their own drum.
Because dementia patients can no longer develop coherent thoughts, they can become
extremely agitated and frustrated, which music should be able alleviate some of the stress
because of its calming familiar nature. This source was important to me because I wanted to
explain what age/genres of music were most effective in reaching through to people with
Alzheimers. I believed this site contained useful information for my essay by providing
suggestions to those who want to help of what music would or wouldnt be best to use to
communicate or sooth those with Alzheimers.

Cowl, Andrielle L., and Joseph E. Gaugler. "Efficacy of Creative Arts Therapy in Treatment of
Alzheimers Disease and Dementia: A Systematic Literature Review." Activities, Adaptation &
Aging, 38.4 (2014): 281-330. Taylor & Francis Online. Informa UK Limited, 13 Dec. 2014. Web.
16 Mar. 2016. http://dx.doi.org. This article originated from the School of Nursing,
University of Minnesota where two researchers combined data from 112 articles to present
their best synthesis of information pertaining to Alzheimers and the possibility of music
therapy being a solution to a few of the debilitating symptoms of the disease. This literature
review was helpful in refreshing my memory of the mechanism behind Alzheimers disease
and how it is caused. I also learned that there are many types of art therapies, but music
therapy seems to be the most successful because it doesnt require as much physical or
emotional strain as other forms. This study suggests that our music connections within our
brain are so much more vast than those of memory or speech. This literature was helpful in
summarizing and giving an overview of different aspects of Alzheimers and music therapy,
which I included in my essay because I didnt have a better way summarize this important
information.
Cramer, Luciana. "Music Therapy Enhancing Cognition." Caregiver Tips & Tools 9. Alz.org|
Alzheimer's Association. Alzheimer's Association. Web. 17 Mar. 2016. http://www.alz.org.
This pamphlet/newsletter was informative in that it gave very detailed reasons for how and
why music therapy works as well as how to incorporate it into your daily life. It was created in
order to succinctly inform the public of what happens during Alzheimers and how to help
take care of those who are suffering in this disease. It also shows PET-scans of the brain and
the different areas of it that response to different stimuli. The areas of the brain that light up
in the presence of music are quite more abundant that the parts that light up when only
subjected to the presence of speech. I felt this source was useful for describing the more
physical aspect of Alzheimers that is not always revealed in other more formal texts.
"LATEST RESEARCH: Music Enhances Memory In Alzheimer's Patients." Memory
(Medletter) (2011): 49. Health Source - Consumer Edition. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
http://search.ebscohost.com. A brief article from John Hopkins University describes a study
that was conducted by Boston University researchers to determine what kind of music the
test subjects respond most to and then what parts of the brain were involved in the

recognition of the music. John Hopkins University briefly explains that music could be an
effective way to reach to the heart of patients suffering from dementia when all other
techniques have failed. The brain has an innate ability to remember song lyrics and melodies
despite the degenerative effects of Alzheimers. This source was useful in my essay by
providing evidence of the beginnings of research in finding the connection between
Alzheimers and music therapy.
Memorybridge. Gladys Wilson and Naomi Feil. Online video clip. Youtube. YouTube, 26 May
2009. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. https://www.youtube.com. This is a very inspirational video in
which a woman named Naomi Feil sing Christian hymns for a Gladys Wilson who was
rendered speechless after suffering from a stroke. Feil is able to connect with Wilson through
songs from her youth and church life. Wilson suffered dementia/Alzheimers as well but was
able to be pulled out of that cloud by music. This video was an important source for my essay
because it showed music therapy in action and provided a success story for allowing people
deep in Alzheimers to be reconnected with the real world through song.