In Alive Inside, Dan Cohen interviews various elderly people in a nursing home who are experiencing dementia. He uses music to allow them to remember things about their past. Cohen volunteers at a nursing home and is the founder of the nonprofit organization Music & Memories. A documentary crew follows him around for 3 years showing stories of how music can trigger memories for the elderly in the brain. Dan Cohen and others in the documentary highlight how our health care system denies music as a medical instrument. The residents are often treated with medication before music is even thought of. Cohen shines a light on how the elderly respond well to music as a way to communicate, participate, feel positive and remember things that they may not have otherwise. The documentary goes into details about how the brain comprehends specific sounds throughout our lifetime. Music is deeply rooted in our biology before we are even born. This documentary highlights the power of music, and the influence it has on the brain and memories, with the elderly population afflicted with Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Theory: Disengagement Theory
…show more content…
He is 90 years old and has been in the nursing home for over 10 years living with dementia. In the nursing home, he is very quiet and does not like to socialize with other residents. He is not able to do the activities that he used to do and liked, such as biking and playing music. When Dan Cohen played gospel music for him he began to sing to the songs and rock his head. His eyes lit up and he started to remember memories from childhood. Henry’s disengagement from his normal roles was a choice until his dementia. He chose to just be around his family after retirement. The apparent disengagement from Henry in the home is partly due to his condition but also from a lack of interest in