…or learn new tricks!
In today’s society, with all of our scientific breakthroughs and new medicines, who would have guessed that music, a wonderful tool that has been around since the beginning of time, can help the elderly with issues such as arthritis, depression, anxiety and even Alzheimer’s?
Researchers from BSMU and Bedford VA Hospital conducted a study that came back with strong evidence that music improves memory in patients with Alzheimers1. In another report by the New England Journal of Medicine, it was found that adults who participate in activities such as games, reading and playing an instrument, are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s in the first place2! Learning a new talent with music lessons while improving your memory is a win/win situation.
Not only have music lessons shown to help with memory, but another study conducted by Namm and the collaboration of five universities showed that elderly people who took keyboard lessons had decreases in anxiety, depression and loneliness3. Picking up a hobby, such as music, can give a person a sense of accomplishment and goals.
A study that comes out of MSU found that HGH (Human Growth Hormone) – a hormone that typically decreases rapidly as we get older, actually had increased up to 90% in seniors that were taking piano lessons! HGH gives the body a stronger ability to fight off illness and provides us with energy! They also found that playing an instrument helped keep the ligaments and joints moving and flexible, thus treating and even preventing arthritis4.
Music lessons can promote your overall health, movement and memory. A survey by the International Music Products Association found that 85% of the adults wished they had learned to play a musical instrument5. It’s never too late to begin music lessons! When walking into the twilight of our lives and we retire, we begin to slow down. In later years, as the golf clubs gathers dust, we begin to go even slower. It is important to keep a hobby. Music lessons can help seniors in a variety of ways and are a great way to stay alert and have fun!
-Music at Your Doorstep, Changing Lives One Note at a Time!
www.musicatyourdoorstep.com
Sources:
1.http://www.science20.com/news_articles/music_improves_memory_alzheimers_patients
2. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra040223?ck=nck&
3. http://www.amc-music.com/
4. http://www.scribd.com/doc/13064396/The-Music-making-and-Wellness-project
5. http://playintimeadvantage.com/parentpage/documents/musicadvocacy.pdf
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