The beauty of Alzheimers/Dementia

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

Ok I know I have spelt alzcheimers wrong - don't have access to a dictionary.

I am currently in Nelson and visit my mother daily - she is in a "secure" home with the above condition. She kept running away from the other homes, as it turned out for obvious reasons. However she does remember me and her face lights up. Repeats herself alot but that's ok it is all positive stuff.

Anyway - I hadn't touched a piano for 3 years (mine is in storage) only so much you can fit in a studio apartment and no-one is willing to heave a piano up 3 flights of stairs lol.

I am not one of these really talented people that play by ear and usually need music but had remembered a few pieces of course, by heart. So I played them. All the old folks were singing along. I stopped after I had played all I knew but they said "Please don't stop - keep playing" well hey I suddenly thought they all have alzchiemers and won't remember what I have played so continued to repeat them all.

Been happening that way for the last 3 days lol. Something so simple gives them all such joy - they were just sitting there in the lounge - not watching the mute tv but as soon as I played the piano - men and women alike - sang along or just listened and enjoyed - in fact it was the men who asked me to keep playing! My mother stood beside me pretending to play the piano - I had forgotten she had learnt for a while, then she sang - she has a lovely soft voice. I felt really humbled and had honestly forgotten I had that skill.

To My GSXF I hope to catch up with you later in the week. Have not forgotten. Boy I sure wish I had my bike here. Such great weather and I am not use to just having a cage.

Happy New Year everybody.

Cheers

[99TLS]

great post imho

[pete376403]

Your playing must have triggered something if they were able to remember the words and sing along. Music has the power to bring back stuff that even non-alzheimers people have trouble recalling - many is the time I've heard a bit of music from waaaay back and I "just know" the words, yet I can have trouble recalling a name or phone number given to me a few minutes ago. And AFAIK, I don't have Als. Yet.
Great of you to give the olds a little brightness to their day.

[Laava]

You must have had warm fuzzies! Good on you, wish my musical talent went beyond 2.5 chords!

[Dave-]

lol you're gonna get some funny comment in your rep....i hit enter instead of '

anyway that's really kind of you to do that, music is such a wicked gift.

[Conquiztador]

Neat!!!

A trick new staff learn when starting the job is that when the residents come up and confused say: "Why am I here? This must be a mistake! I should be home, they need me there", there is no use in trying to explain that they are ill and it is best for them to be there. This makes them more confused and distraught.

So what staff do is say: "You are correct, there has been a mistake, please go to your room and pack your belongings and I come there in a few minutes and I take you home." They happily walk away towards their room. But quickly forget why they were going there. But they are happy.

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

LOL hey they can't even remember where their room is! It's amazing what they do remember - I had just shown Mum my new belly button jewels - one of her friends came along - so she lifted my top and said "Look what my daughter's got". Jeez I'm gonna keep wearing shorts there!

They have their names and a photo of themselves on their bedroom door - it was a relief that Mum recognised herself lol.

[Clivoris]

Put some great images in head mate.

[jrandom]

[Conquiztador]

Helen Clark walks in to a ward for dementia. A little old lady walks towards her with a smile on her face. "Hi there" Helen says. "Do you know who I am?". "No idea" the little lady says, "but ask the staff, they tell you".