Rochester, N.Y. January 21, 2015‐ Jewish Senior Life (JSL) has launched an exciting new evidence‐based program called Music & Memory. As the first certified care community in the Rochester area, Jewish Senior Life’s team of professional caregivers will utilize best practices for providing a personalized playlist delivered on iPods and other digital devices for residents with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other cognitive and physical challenges to reconnect with the world through music‐triggered memories.
Music helps connect our brains to certain events in our lives. According to the Alzheimer’s Association of America, music, if used appropriately, has the power to shift mood, manage stress‐ induced agitation, stimulate positive interactions, facilitate cognitive function and coordinate motor movements.
“Personalized play lists provides a wonderful tool for some of our residents who are unable to verbally express themselves due to their diminishing abilities,” said Michael King, chief operating officer/administrator for Jewish Senior Life. “When the Music & Memory program was first introduced to the organization, we recognized the value in providing this service to our residents. Jewish Senior Life is committed to the success of the program by establishing ‘memory coaches’ to
help identify residents who would directly benefit from the program.”
The personalized music developed through the Music & Memory program can tap into emotions and special events unique to an individual that otherwise may have been lost. Music enriches the lives of residents by helping to ease incidents of depression, anxiety and challenging behaviors. “The residents of Jewish Senior Life have seen remarkable success by the thought behind the Music & Memory program,” said Susan Price, person‐centered care manager for Jewish Senior Life. “All of our residents prefer different types of music for various reasons and with the help of our certified staff and family and friends, we can customize a playlist personalized just for them. For example, we had one German resident with her own iPod pre‐loaded with all kinds of October Fest music. As soon as she heard the music she lit up and started singing and moving her arms.”
About Jewish Senior Life:
Serving people of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds, Jewish Senior Life is guided by the values of honoring family and emphasizing aging in place—allowing people to remain in the place of their choice longer. Jewish Senior Life is a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), offering all levels of care from independent living to skilled nursing care on a single campus:
- The Summit at Brighton for independent living;
- Wolk Manor for assisted living;
- The Lodge at Wolk Manor for assisted living memory care;
- The Jewish Home of Rochester for long-term, transitional, and memory care;
- Transitional Care at the Jewish Home for short-term rehabilitation;
- Atkin Center for Outpatient Rehabilitation;
- Marian’s House daytime retreat for those with memory loss; and
- a variety of community programs and services such as Living Well Companion Care and Physician House Calls that enable people to age and live safely, either on campus or another place that they call home.
Jewish Senior Life is the only senior care provider in the Rochester area to offer Life Care, a program which eliminates worries about unforeseen care needs and medical expenses throughout the full continuum of care.
Jewish Senior Life is CARF accredited for its high quality and customer satisfaction, and has been named a 2017 Top Workplace by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
Jewish Senior Life is a member of the Alliance for Senior Care of Greater Rochester, Leading Age, Leading Age New York, and the Association of Jewish Agency Services.
For more information, please visit www.jewishseniorlife.org.
