Try New Things

At some point, we find a certain type of music (or even a certain artist) and stick with it. In fact, studies have even shown that after a while, we stop enjoying new music, and that’s why we keep going back to the tried and tested tunes we’ve loved for a long time. 

Of course, that is a generalization, and unless you try new things, you’ll just never know. So why not? By diversifying your playlist even a little, you might come across some wonderful and unexpected pleasures and treasures that open you up a little more to what great music can be like. You’re not going to like everything, but if you want to appreciate music more, trying new genres and artists is a great idea. 

Learn To Play

Another excellent way to appreciate music more is to learn to play it yourself. When you can read sheet music, when you understand how harmonies work, when you know more about what goes into creating music in general, you’re sure to have a better appreciation for it when you listen to it. 

You don’t have to become an expert in playing whatever instrument you’ve chosen, but having a little knowledge and the ability to play some simple tunes is a great place to start – it’ll open up all music much more for you, ensuring you can get more deeply into the mechanics of it, rather than just what you hear as the finished result. 

Practice Active Listening

How do you listen to music at the moment? For a lot of people, it’s something that’s on in the background while they clean the house, cook dinner, read a book, or drive their car, for example. And although it’s great that you can fit music into your life like this, the issue is that when you’re multitasking, you’re not really getting the full experience of a piece of music – that only comes with active listening. 

What do we mean by active listening? Active listening means really immersing yourself in the music you’re listening to – it means only listening to the music and not doing anything else or being distracted. In this way, you can hear all the little intricacies that you might have missed otherwise, and you’ll get a better understanding of the piece. 

If you want to try this, you’ll need to set some time aside specifically to listen to your music, and you’ll want to be in a place where you’re not going to be disturbed. When you can really listen to the music, you’ll appreciate every note, making it all that more special.  

The post How To Appreciate Music More appeared first on InstantELLA.

Hans Christian Anderson said, “Where words fail, music speaks.” This has been seen in the lives of elderly patients as they come alive by the memories conjured by old melodies. As people age, their minds and souls continue to grow and become trapped in failing bodies.

Keeping It Old School – Retro Things Tech Won’t Replace

Music can help improve the quality of life of elderly people limited in their daily activities. Between their home health care and struggles to do daily tasks older people who are stuck in their homes have lost much of their joy to live. Music can help them regain that passion for life. Here are a few ideas for incorporating more music into your loved one’s life. You can even incorporate these ideas into a plan with top home care agency in Philadelphia.

MP3 Player

What Do You Do With Your Old Phone?

It won’t take you long to load 100 of your loved one’s favorite songs on to an MP3 player or another music device, but it will afford them hours upon hours of enjoyment. Whether it is big band music from the early 1900s or 80’s hair bands, it shouldn’t take too long to find the music that speaks to their soul. If you have a little bit of time to devote to the project you could even make a list of their favorite songs to put on their music device.

Play an Instrument

If your loved one used to play an instrument, even if it was back in their 20’s, don’t be afraid to pull out the case, dust it off and play a few notes. It may surprise you how quickly they remember how to play. If they’re willing you could sign them up for lessons so they can continue increasing their talent.

By encouraging them to play you are helping them to have another hobby that they can invest themselves in and feel like they are progressing instead of just sitting around the house. If they are confident enough you could even do a mini-recital with them so they can show their friends and family the progress they are making.

Concert

Michel Legrand, Oscar-winning composer, dies aged 86

If you hear that a concert is coming to town that they might enjoy then get tickets and take your loved one. A sit-down concert is a great way for them to get out of the house and enjoy something they love.

Music While Exercising

Movement to Music’ helps elders exercise gently

If your loved one has an exercise routine that they do each day, even if it is just walking around the house, try playing some of their favorite upbeat songs from when they were younger. The music may help them to keep better balance as they focus on something else while walking. It could also help them to remember days gone by so be prepared to listen to some riveting stories from before you were born. Some senior living community facilities implement this practice into their daily routines to help facilitate memory support.

Drumming workshops music to residents’ ears

You will be surprised at how alive the music makes your elderly loved one feel and act. They will have stories to tell and melodies to hum along with as they enjoy a blast from their past.

The post Music and the Elderly appeared first on InstantELLA.