Music Therapy: Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body at O’Neill Healthcare Bay Village

Music Therapy can be an important part of healthy living for both brain and body.

Certified Music Therapist Lucille Cimino of Sound Inspirations Music Therapy joined with Jaime Inks of the Alzheimer’s Association for a special program on Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body at O’Neill Healthcare Bay Village on June 27.

They explained that musical experiences are important tools in accomplishing individualized goals within a therapeutic setting. Musical experiences help resonate health and wellness in the whole person, and are best tailored to individual needs of each client.

As an effective treatment for older persons with deficits in physical, psychological, cognitive or social functioning, music therapy can reach clients who are resistant to other treatment approaches. As a form of sensory stimulation, music stimulates positive responses due to familiarity, predictability, and feelings of security.

Music therapists tailor programs to clients after assessing their needs, with both instrumental and vocal music used as a way to achieve patient goals.

As one 93 year old woman with depression said, “Now there is no need to be morose, I can have my music here with me and listen to it whenever I want to feel young.”

Another couple danced for the first time in five years. “It’s the first time in three years that my husband held me in his arms.” She tearfully said that she simply missed him holding her and music therapy made that possible.

Music therapists work as part of an interdisciplinary team at O’Neill Healthcare Bay Village. To learn more, call them at (440) 871-3474.