The music acts as a battery charger for the brain, and, after singing patients will frequently begin to reminisce, and verbalize thoughts and feelings in ways thought to be long dormant. This is a main reason I feel compelled to tell the stories of patients I have come to know and love. Given this type of therapeutic care, more patients in nursing homes everywhere can feel more at home. If the serenity of the music therapy session can be maintained, patients will remain at an optimal level for a very long time. As they sing, hum or simply become absorbed in specially chosen recorded music, the next event, the evening meal, can be prepared for in a calm, slow, quiet manner.
Patients are very receptive to and often grateful for non-verbal communication at such times.
Still others frankly require it, and will become very agitated if verbal communication, TV, or radios are reintroduced at this time. The Senate hearing on music therapy created many headlines. Yet some of the comments were unfavorable, stating that benefits would be short-lived. One neurologist said he doubted that music therapy could improve physical function or help patients eat better.