Saint Mary’s Gerontology Project is Music to the Ears of Healthwin Residents
Stephanie Aguilera '16 holds an iPhone up to the ear of the
63-year-old Healthwin patient she is working with on the
Music and Memory Project. She loaded some of his favorite
music into a music library for him, with the help of his
family members. Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary’s College
(574) 284-4579
or
Karen Martindale
Volunteer Coordinator
Healthwin
(574) 272-0100
April 13, 2015 (Notre Dame, Ind.)— Research suggests that the simple act of listening to music could trigger memories in the aging population and that such intervention is helpful with those with neurocognitive disorders like dementia. Saint Mary’s College social work and gerontology students, at the invitation of the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, are participating in a Music and Memory Project with residents at Healthwin, a specialized care facility in South Bend. The project pairs 14 juniors enrolled in the course
“Social Work Practice with Groups” with Healthwin residents. The students load a personalized music library on a media player for the resident with whom they are paired.
JoAnn Burke, associate professor of social work and the director of the gerontology program, describes the educational benefits of the program for both the students and the residents. “The students are learning how to work with individuals with neurocognitive disorders and the residents enjoy music which has been proven to improve functioning in individuals with these disorders,” she said.
Students contact family members of the resident that they are placed with to learn about the music that may be able to trigger a memory. “The family can give us a list of songs or a certain music genre and then we as students can play music for the client based on this information,” said junior Stephanie Aguilera of South Bend, who participates in the program and is paired with a 63-year-old male resident.
The music and memory project has allowed the residents to relax and enjoy music that is important to them and their lives. “I believe that the music takes my client to a place where he is able to become comfortable,” said Aguilera .
Students participating in the Music and Memory program say that it has been a valuable learning experience as social work students. “The Music and Memory program is beneficial not only to the residents of Healthwin, but to our social work majors and gerontology minors. Through engaging with the Healthwin community, we have been able to experience working with a diverse population, which allows us to gain new perspectives on life and how to work with those who are different from ourselves,” said student Bri O’Brien of Oak Lawn, Illinois
Saint Mary’s students will present their experiences to representatives from Healthwin and the Community Foundation at the College at the end of the semester.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. By the fall of 2015 Saint Mary’s College will offer two graduate degrees: a Master of Science and a Doctorate. All programs that fall under these degrees are co-educational and include a Master of Science in Data Science, a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College’s mission is to educate students, develop their talents, and prepare them to make a difference in the world. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015 published by U.S. News & World Report.
~Caroline Stickell ’16, media relations intern, wrote this press release.