I've been advocating "Music Therapy" in my Nursing Home ever since I've been here (nearly three years) but its fallen on deaf ears. My Speech Therapist, Christine, believes in it but, since she has no formal training, she hesitates to get involved officially.

I see unresponsive Alzheimer patients come alive when they hear music from their own generation, specifically their teenage years, so my room is a constant source of music for them.

One, an 85 year old lady, would come to my doorway, smile broadly, and tap her feet in perfect time to old time fiddling, her personal favorite. I have noticed that their sense of rhythm stays intact to the very end. The day before she died, she was still moving her feet in time to the music.

I quit getting close after losing her. Its too painful.