[Dixielandjazz] Music in Nursing Homes

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/10/05 5:56:16 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
baglady4 at juno.com writes:

> 
> I have witnessed incredible communication with the precious residents 
> because of the music.  From comotose to communication.  Sometimes the
> resident will remain in a cognitive state for a period of time even after 
> the music has ended.
> 
> I always tell the family to stay for the music presentations, because they 
> will get their loved one back for at least the hour or so that the music is 
> playing.  We play OKOM, big band and songs from the 20's, 30's, and 40s and 
> some show tunes.
> 
> Some family members bring old 78's into their loved one's room to play..
> and they enjoy communication with their mother, father, aunt, grandmother 
> for as long as the music is playing.  
> 
> It's a pity the nursing homes don't have a budget for this all important
> entertainment/therapy!!!!!
> 
> Nancie Beaven
> 
> 

Bless you Dear Nancy:  and Rae Ann for your earlier post:

Now listen up bandleaders and solo musicians alike, I only get these 
brilliant marketing ideas once or twice a day :))

I think I know how to get this situation funded for many who wish to pursue 
the venture.

Somebody on this great list must have all of these posts in their file 
cabinet on this thread, I have a few but not all of them.

Put all the stories together of the individual experiences and then write up 
a theory paper on it and present it to Doctors in your market area who treat 
Altzheimers patients.

Start in nursing homes who specialize in those type of patients.

I believe that if you can get the Doctors to prescribe this therapy you can 
quite possibly get their insurance companies to fund it.  Especially if you can 
get the administration of the nursing homes to cooperate and set up weekly or 
monthly musical therapy sessions that all patients are included in.  The 
nursing home can certainly find a way to put it into their budget if they are 
shown a way to get reimbursed for it by the patients insurance company even 
Medicare at a reasonable fee per patient per month.

Now somebody on this list figure that out and get it working.  :))

I will be watching to see how it comes together.

Could and also should be a project investigated and pursued by the Jazz 
Societies since it has to do with preserving the music and using it for it's 
inherent healing powers.

I know folks who have a big money project using horseback riding as therapy 
for Downs syndrome patients and they do exhibitions at major Equestrian Shows 
all over the country and the people enrolled in those programs are generating 
BIG Dollars for the operators of the program.

Steve Barbone you know the horse folks, bet you could find out about that 
program quickly.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins