Music brings memories and experiences to people with Alzheimer’s
- The initiative, organised by the Provincial Council of Málaga and Clece, was attended by almost 350 people in the Edgar Neville Auditorium.
- The conference focused on the importance of “caring for the carer” of those with Alzheimer’s disease.
- Music therapy promotes socialisation, raises self-esteem, improves mobility and stimulates memories, among other benefits.
Málaga, 23 September 2014. The benefits of music therapy and the importance of “caring for the carer” of people with Alzheimer’s disease were two of the main conclusions of the 2nd Conference for Families with Sufferers of Alzheimer’s Disease. The initiative, organised by the Provincial Council of Málaga and Clece, was attended by almost 350 people in the Edgar Neville Auditorium.
The dignitaries attending included, among other authorities, the president of the Provincial Council of Málaga, Elías Bendodo; the vice-president and representative for Social Rights, Ana Carmen Mata; and the director of Social Services, Ana María Jiménez. Following the official presentation, the two conference speeches were then given: “Good practices for the carer of patients with Alzheimer's”, given by the psychologist María José Domingo Ruiz de Mier from the Fuengirola Association for People with Alzheimer’s Disease, and “The benefits of music therapy in people with Alzheimer’s disease”, given by the psychologist Sonia Buil Martínez.
The importance of “caring for the carer” and teaching them to look after themselves is one of the points that María José Domingo highlighted among the recommended good practices for carers and relatives of people with Alzheimer’s disease. She also stressed the need to be aware of how important it is to look after oneself. In order to provide people with quality care, carers themselves need to be looked after, as if they are not well, it may be hard for them to take on the care of a relative. That is why caring for both physical and emotional wellbeing is key, by setting aside a short period each day to exercise, enjoy a hobby or socialise.
Carers need to take time out for themselves. This is no easy task for people who bear the brunt of another person’s care, and help needs to be found both in the family and from external sources.
Sonia Buil, in her speech, discussed the benefits of music therapy for cognitive and sensorial stimulation, improving communication and social relations, evoking memories and experiences, increasing self-esteem, improving motor functions and movement co-ordination, intellectual and cognitive stimulation, and relaxation.
There are approximately 44 million people around the world with Alzheimer’s disease, and more than 600,000 people in Spain with the condition. However, this disease does not just affect the sufferers themselves, but also their relatives and carers, who often suffer from physical, psychological and financial problems, among other difficulties, as a result of the care they provide. For this reason, following the successful experience of 2013, this second edition of the conference sought to provide technical knowledge on the care of people at different stages of the disease, as well as providing strategies that help to improve the quality of life of carers.
The activity was one of the various events organised at the Provincial Council to mark World Alzheimer’s Day on 21 September.