Sing a Song or Two to Improve Parkinson's, Dementia, and Autism

Moving to the beat of a song and singing develops early on in infancy. Most of us have images of toddlers sweetly bouncing and bopping to music without any prior teachings. Music follows us through life, being exposed through entertainment and in every day life-think of all those times waiting on hold. It may be assumed with certain conditions, such as with neurological disorders, music would be inappropriate or aggravating. Science continues to prove contrary. Music-singing or playing of an instrument-has been found to enhance the quality of life and improve areas of function for those with Parkinson's, Dementia, and Autism.
One innovative tech company, SingFit out of LA, has developed a music program which can be used anywhere, providing music therapy for individuals or groups looking to stimulate their brain and reduce stress hormones. Beyond the basic benefits of improved happiness, music therapy has been found to be highly beneficial with neurological disorders, helping stimulate areas of breathing, regulating heart rate, increasing awareness and more.
Personally, I have witnessed the positive effect of music in many individuals afflicted with Dementia. The elderly gentleman who could no longer speak in comprehensible sentences but could sing a song in its entirety; the non-engaged older female with a blank stare who stood up to dance when music was turned on; the agitated and combative elderly female who smiled and was soothed by music for hours after it stopped playing. Locally,  a singing group was formed for those with Parkinson's Disease because of the known benefits. So, sing a song or two and don't be afraid to introduce this beneficial activity to someone you know regardless of their ability to speak or move.

Learn more about SingFit's innovative music therapy programs by clicking here

Check out more stories about the benefits of singing:

Singing Changes Your Brain

Boost Immunity with Singing

Music and Alzheimer's Disease

Plan now for care later | Latest News & Events | Kalispell Regional Healthcare

Plan now for care later | Latest News & Events | Kalispell Regional Healthcare

Making it simple thru 7 Steps

Join me February 22, 2016 &/or February 23, 2016 for Free, live, interactive seminar:
"7 Steps to Long-Term Care Planning"
Live, Interactive Sessions at The Summit Medical Fitness Center

Communities can remain robust and thrive in today's aging world.

Northwest Montana continues to see an increase in demand for services in the long term care and aging industry. Like many communities across the nation, the ability to meet the demand for services while simultaneously focusing on preventative wellness and healthy aging is difficult. The challenges for businesses working in the senior care sector may include constraints due to weak budgets,tight regulations, more complex situations, and a decreasing geriatric workforce. Communities will continue to rely on the grass-roots efforts by many to help provide meals, socialization, and assistance with daily living tasks to the growing older adult population. Activity hubs, which also happen to provide nourishment, help keep communities connected with the hidden agenda of improving wellness and promoting healthy aging. Many areas in Montana populated by a large percentage of older adults are difficult to access due to mountainous terrain or remote locations, further constraining efforts made by agencies to reach everyone and provide the same level of services. Communities need to support the efforts of volunteers and encourage kindness and an occasional helping hand in order to remain robust and thrive in today's aging world.
It can happen here just minutes from Glacier National Park 

Understanding Advance Health Care Directives

True or False: You don't need to worry about Advance Health Care Directives until you are retirement age. Answer: False. Every adult, especially the young adult, should at least consider having a legal proxy decision maker in case of an unexpected illness, accident, or other emergency which leaves you unable to state your wishes or take care of matters on your own. It's not difficult and in most cases, if done ahead of time, there is no need to hire an attorney. Learn more here:

Myths and Facts About Health Care Advance Directives | Special Committees and Commissions / Commission on Law and Aging

Discussing Advance Directives is just one of the important steps Eagleview West takes in completing a long-term care plan and creating a road-map for aging for clients.

Make it Simple. Learn how by contacting Eagleview West.

Early Detection & Early Engagement Can Improve Brain Health

Early recognition promotes engagement in shared decision-making regarding Life Care Planning. Medical and Lifestyle interventions can improve Brain Health. 

Brain Health: The Importance of Recognizing Cognitive Impairment: An IAGG Consensus Conference - Journal of the American Medical Directors Association

Silver Tsunami Not Always To Blame For Rise in Dementia

Baby Boomers get blamed for a lot of things. Congested doctor's offices, long wait times for appointments, caregiver shortages. Just to name a few. One might assume the rise in Dementia cases could be blamed on the baby boomers alone, especially considering  age is the greatest risk factor, with the risk for Alzheimer's Disease doubling every 5 years after age 65.

But finally, someone else is to blame (relax, baby boomers). The report recently published in Smithsonian magazine suggests early onset diagnosis of Dementia is on the rise with people in their 40's developing the disease, blaming pollution and the broad use of chemicals. Being someone who specializes in Alzheimer's and Dementia, I get asked  frequently for my thoughts on Dementia and the reason for the increase in early-onset cases. It was not long ago I was sitting in a meeting learning about the effects of electrical magnetic radiation, a "toxin", emitted from wireless devices and anything which uses electrical power. The presenter suggested we would begin to see today's youth develop cognitive impairment at  middle age due to their constant exposure to electro-magnetic frequencies. Unless populations develop a natural resistance to the toxin identified as electro-magnetic radiation, today's exposure will be tomorrow's silent health epidemic. Does today's 40 year old have less resistance than perhaps a child, who grows up with potentially constant exposure from time of birth? Is it realistic to blame one toxin as the culprit for the rise in early-onset Dementia? Less difficult to grasp, and more likely is the theory multiple factors contribute to cognitive impairment including environmental toxin exposure, diet, prescription drug usage, addiction(s), heredity, and traumatic brain injury. Most of these factors can be categorized as toxins. Take diet and prescription drug usage, for example.  Both have the potential to harbor and hide chemicals the body must learn to rid itself of. Has our modern and chemical world  transgressed too quickly for our human bodies to keep up?



Learn more about our Modern World and the Rise in Early-Onset Dementia by clicking below:



Modern Life Could Be Making Dementia More Common