My Alzheimer's and Inspirational stimuli - Music appreciation.

It has long been known by health professionals, that the use of music in it's various forms can enhance the quality of life for dementia patients. Particularly for those in the later stages of the disease.

I have always enjoyed listening to music. There are many types that are easily categorised such as popular,classic,jazz,country,folk,rock,reggae etc.It is easy to see how it can interrelate with people's memories in regard to personal events,time and place.

Going through the decades which I have known,there are certain popular tunes and melodies that evoke a smile of recognition each time I hear them.

Even as a child of the 1940's,I remember well the recognisable tunes of that era such as Glen Miller's "Moonlight Serenade",Vera Lynn "The White Cliffs of Dover",Bing Crosby and the Andrews sisters"Don't fence me in",Bing Crosby and "White Christmas",Edith Piaf La Vien Rose.

The 1950's brought Nat King Cole and "Mona Lisa", Fat's Domino "On Blueberry Hill", Patii Page "The Tennesee Waltz",Elvis Presley "Jailhouse Rock",Bill Haley and The Comets "Rock around the Clock".

In the 1960's popular music really took off with,Chubby Checker "The Twist",Elvis Presley "It's Now or Never",Neil Sedaka "Calendar Girl",The Shadows "Apache",the Beatles "Love Me Do".

1970's brought Simon and Garfunkel and "Bridge over troubled water",the Beatles and "Let it Be", the Jackson 5 "ABC",the Carpenters "Close to You", Free and "Alright Now",the Hollies and "He ain't heavy he's my brother",Anne Murray"Snowbird".
1980's we had Phil Collins "In the air tonight",Huey Lewis "The Power of Love",the Buggles "Video killed the radio star",Survivor "Eye of the Tiger", Billy Ocean "When the going gets tough", Toto and "Africa".
1990's brought Madonna "Vogue",MC Hammer "U can't touch this",Sinead O'Connor "Nothing compares to you",Gloria Estefan "Here we are",Bette Midler "From a Distance".

With the commencement of the new millennium my musical tastes mellowed somewhat and I began to enjoy the easier more relaxing listening of Jazz and Classical pieces. Having a brief flirtation with Jazz giants such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan,Louise Armstrong,Dizzy Gillespie,Duke Ellington and the incomparable Miles Davis.

New technology has meant that we can carry hundreds of our favourite pieces in small MP3 players such as iPods. Linked to these by light, discreet headphones. Even at this stage of my illness I am still able to maximise this technology and hope to do so for some time to come.

My ideal treatment, weather permitting is peaceful contemplation, sitting in the garden on a warm summer's day, with a glass of wine, listening to some soothing classical gems, such as Vaughn Williams "The Lark Arising", or Debussy's "Clair De Lune", Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" or the serene Chopin "Nocturnes", any of these beautiful pieces will  set the mood to calm and smooth any anxieties.

The beauty of music being used in the fight against dementia is not the type or choice of content but the effect that it has on individuals in taking them to a place of sanctuary in their turbulent minds.