Music and healing: Growing scientific evidence

I have witnessed hundreds of times in nursing homes how a seemingly incoherent person can come alive during a performance. Anecdotal and observational evidence of the healing power of music abound. But now science is catching up. (Check this article at CNN about music’s therapeutic value.)

The article states, “Music seems to find re-routed paths and that is why it is such a useful tool in terms of helping people with different kinds of brain damage because it can help to find new pathways in terms of brain functioning.” And this study isn’t the only one to affirm music’s healing properties.

Researchers in Finland have demonstrated that listening to music for several hours a day can enhance the rehabilitation of stroke patients.

At Colorado State University, researchers have used musical and rhythmic cues as a tool to improve the movement and balance of Parkinson’s disease sufferers.

Not too long ago at a performance, a resident told me he recently had head and neck surgery and was ordered not to participate in activities. He wanted to be at my performance. I was touched and also told him I believed that the music was part of his healing. He agreed.

Anthony Cirillo

Anthony Cirillo, FACHE, ABC, is president of The Aging Experience. He’s a passionate advocate for family caregivers and older adults, helping them lead a quality life through a platform of educated aging – physically, emotionally and financially. Cirillo is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives with a Masters from the University of Pennsylvania, His clients have ranged from the Cleveland Clinic, Unisys, and King Faisal Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Carolinas Health Care, Novant Health, Wall Street startups and many more. Anthony serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for PPS Alert for Long-Term Care and is an editorial board member for the Journal of Aging and Geriatric Psychiatry.