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The Healing Power Of Music

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The Healing Power of Music The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, defines Alzheimer’s as being the most common form of dementia, occurring in 60% to 80% of people suffering from symptoms of dementia (Clair & Tomaino, 2016). The foundation also states that it is an irreversible disease that progresses over time, destroying cognitive functions such as: memory, learning, and language skills. Furthermore it may alter behaviors and mood, cause disorientation, as well as agitation (Clair & Tomaino, 2016; Witzke, Rhone, Backhaus, & Shaver, 2008, p. 46). Those percentages are quite large, and they are only going to keep rising. How can those of us in the medical field, and out of the field attempt to repair or slow down the effects of this disease? What options do we have at our disposal? Interventions that can be used to assist in relieving symptoms are animal-assisted therapy (AAS), music therapy, and light therapy as well as massage (Witzke, Rhone, Backhaus, & Shaver, 2008, p. 46). Although Witzke, Rhone, Backhaus, & Shaver (2008) state that in Japan music therapy is preferred as opposed to animal assisted therapy for dementia and Alzheimer patients due to the fact that they have had issues trying to control the breeding as well as control infection. They also recorded that there is the possibility of a patient not liking animals or having an allergy to the animal. Music has the ability to bring us back in time and recreate a memory just from hearing a few cords of a

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