by Tracy Lee Karner
news@thenewsleaders.com
Residents of the Memory Cottages at the Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids have been singing with the St. Cloud State University’s Women’s Choir every Friday for the past two months.
Preparation for the choir’s yearly concert “Her Story, Her Song” includes a component of student engagement with a local community program that serves women.
“We heard about the Music and Memory Program at Good Shepherd, and that’s how it started,” Choir Director Mary Jo Bot said. “It’s gone beautifully.”
Because they have significant memory loss from Alzheimer’s, related dementia or brain trauma, residents of the Memory Cottages are in daily need of professional supervision. Most of them couldn’t remember the names of any of the songs they had been rehearsing for months.
““We read that Alzheimer’s affects more women than men, and more caregivers are women than men,” Bot said.
Some residents held their own songbooks, others looked on with a choir member. The pianist began playing and everyone sang “Amazing Grace” followed by other popular songs like “Bicycle Built for Two,” “She’ll be Coming ‘Round the Mountain,” and “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”
Waiting for the singalong to begin, some of the residents of the Memory Cottages were withdrawn, sitting silently in a chair and looking at the floor but that changes once rehearsals start at the Sauk Rapids institution.
“Look at her! She’s smiling!” Sue Dronetle said.
She was there to watch the singalong because her daughter, Katy James, is a resident of the Memory Cottage. Katy was slated to perform one song with the choir at their April 26 concert at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Cloud.
According to her mother, Katy has trouble talking and rarely smiles, but the music changes her. She becomes calmer and happier when she is singing. As the group sang “Edelweiss” from Rogers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, Katy’s smile grew even larger.
“We used to sing that melody as a dinner prayer when company came over,” Dronetle said.
This year is the third time SCSU junior Ashley Heymer has participated in the “Her Story, Her Song” concert and community engagement.
“This is really special to me, as I have people in my family who have been impacted by memory loss,” she said. “Seeing the results of what we’re doing makes the community involvement more exciting.”
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America explains on its website that people’s responses to rhythm and well-known songs require little to no mental processing. For this reason, music can spark compelling outcomes even in very late stages of dementia.
“One of the residents can’t finish a sentence when she’s speaking,” said Diane Haffner, a staff member. “But when the music starts, she can read and sing every word of every song. It’s so amazing to watch them all sing. It brings tears to my eyes.”
Good Shepherd Community is looking for one or two volunteers to use iTunes and iPods to help residents build personal playlists. This will expand their Music and Memory program by bringing the therapeutic and enlivening benefits of music to more residents. Training will be provided.
And musicians of all types are welcome to come and share their musical talents. Interested people are encouraged to call the volunteer coordinator at 320-258-8661.
St. Cloud State University Students and residents of the Memory Cottages at Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids meet in the chapel to enjoy a weekly singalong. From left to right are Chayapimon Aunrua; resident Katy; student Ashley Heymer; and residents Valeria and Mary Lou.
