Sonda is not able to put words together because of Alzheimer’s, but she loves to sing, especially beautiful trills that sound like opera. One day, I handed her a paintbrush. She dipped it in the blue and started humming high notes, low notes, and in-between. She was simultaneoulsy moving her brush in circles to the notes. She was immersed in the arts and very happy.
Ginny spends her days in a wheelchair with her head down. She is in the end-stages of Alzheimer’s. She cannot focus enough to do very much at all. Last week, I placed a Reverie Harp on her lap. I strummed it once and waited to see what she would do. We sat for several minutes in silence and she moved her hand on the strings and enjoyed the thrill of hearing the music that she was making. We sat together for the next 20 minutes experimenting with the sounds. I could feel the release.
A guitar is wonderful for sound but often gets jostled and bumped in hallways and doorjams. A ukelele is so easy to carry around and play. I learned to play one a few months ago and it has been invaluable! It is most enjoyable to go room to room and sing to whoever is there, if invited in. It is especially fun if family members are hanging out. We reminisce and play songs from the past. A most recent favorite is “You get a line and I’ll get a pole and we’ll go fishin’ in the crawdad hole.” Many times, we put new words to familiar tunes, like “Down by the Riverside”. Much conversation comes between songs.
Arnold shuffles all day long and is unable to communicate because of Alzheimer’s. I asked him if he would be willing to come outside with me because we were starting to see the first signs of spring. He slowly enters into the sunshine, stopping at the door, as his body gets used to the brightness. As I pointed to the leaves sprouting on the bushes, his entire attention went to my guitar which was perched on the outdoor furniture. I followed him and watched him bend down and lightly pluck the strings. I helped him sit down and laid the guitar in his lap. He lightly placed his fingers in chord positions and loved on it, holding tightly to it. It was evident that he had played it before…who knows how long ago. That moment for him was the best medicine.
Pictured is a percussion circle in an Alzheimer’s unit. We started by taking lots of time to pass the African drum around, feeling and smelling the hide stretched across the top, the ties, and rubbing our hands over the carvings at the bottom. One on one we echo as the others watch. As we get in the flow, more instruments are introduced (shakers, bells, etc.) We experiment with sounds as we sing various songs. Rhythm is something that is quite active beyond mental capabilities. It expresses the inner soul.