Research shows that personalized music playlists, delivered using iPods or related digital audio devices, have the capacity to transform quality of life for individuals struggling with a wide range of physical and cognitive impairments.

Musical memory is profoundly linked to emotions. In fact, our brains are hard-wired to connect music with long-term memory. These memories are stored deep in the brain. Favorite music or songs associated with important personal events can trigger memory of lyrics and the experience connected to the music. Beloved music often calms chaotic brain activity and enables the listener to focus on the present moment and regain a connection to others. The benefits are demonstrated in the film Alive Inside, which features the program’s founder, Dan Cohen.

Supporting the Music & Memory℠ program

A number of PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America®) communities are certified to provide the Music & Memory℠ program to residents. You can help PMMA® grow our program through financial donations or donations of iPods, headphones and iTunes cards. The Music & Memory program brings personalized music into the lives of seniors through digital music technology to improve quality of life. Grounded in extensive neuroscience research about how our brains respond to music, tested and proven in hundreds of long-term care communities throughout the U.S. and Canada, this personalized music system has provided therapeutic benefits for thousands of residents, clients and staff.