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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 12, 2018)
Wednesday, September 12, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Of a certain age Music and memory By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief Spending three days immersed in music dur- ing the Sisters Folk Festival offers a reminder of the pro- found power that music has to move people, body and soul. Whether it’s a dance- able rhythm, a moving lyri- cal story or a voice that raises goosebumps, music strikes deep and resonant chords in people of all ages. It can have astounding impact on elders. My father, Bob Cornelius, is 90 years old. He’s in great health, walking at least a mile and a half in Crossroads every single day during the summer, when he stays with my fam- ily. He’s “with it” cognitively — but his short-term memory is pretty much shot. Ask him what he had for breakfast this morning, and he couldn’t tell you, and sometimes we have to remind him several times about things that we’ve dis- cussed several times in recent days. One morning last week, he told me he’d woken up with a song running through his head — and proceeded to sing “I’ve Got A Gal In Kalamazoo” word for word, verse for verse. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H I got a gal in Kalamazoo Don’t want to boast but I know S h e ’s t h e t o a s t o f Kalamazoo (Zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo) Years have gone by My, my, how she grew I liked her looks When I carried her books in Kalamazoo (Zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo)… His 90-year-old brain had no problem at all calling up the lyrics of a Glenn Miller song from 1942. I’ve seen some other remarkable instances of music cutting through foggy memory or even more severe cognitive impairment. I once played music for a group of elders dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. One of the women seemed scarcely to even be “there.” Yet when I struck the distinctive riff of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” a light came on, and she sat up a little, and began to mouth the lyrics. It was one of the most extraordinary musical moments of my life. The nonprofit organi- zation Music & Memory (www.musicandmemory.org) notes that, “An April 2018 study reports that ‘objective evidence from brain imag- ing shows personally mean- ingful music is an alterna- tive route for communicat- ing with patients who have Alzheimer’s disease.’ The research, published by a team at University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer ’s Disease, demonstrates that familiar music may facilitate atten- tion, reward and motivation, which in turn makes it more possible to manage emotional distress in Alzheimer’s.” Neuroscience backs up what we intuitively know — music reaches people on a deep level, and sticks around intact when other areas of the memory fragment and fall away. Hearing is an issue. It’s hard to fully enjoy music when your hearing has gone See MEMORY on page 17 15 Senior living nears completion By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief & Sue Stafford Correspondent Construction has been underway all summer just south of the Sisters Post Office, as The Lodge in Sisters rises from the meadow. The senior living facility is well on its way to comple- tion — and reservations are available. Owner Peter Hoover told The Nugget last week that there are 62 total units — 28 studios; 28 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units. “We’ve been taking res- ervations and we’re about 30 percent committed as of right now,” he said. “Construction- wise, we should finish up in December.” After that, the facility must pass a state inspection, after which it can open. Hoover, who has a back- ground in financial planning, experienced first-hand the need for appropriate local care for seniors when his parents moved here from California to live across the street from Hoover and his family. He and his father were the sole caregivers for his mother as she declined in ill health. The intention for The Lodge in Sisters is to provide a quality, hospitable resi- dence for both independent seniors and those requiring some assistance with their daily activities such as medi- cation management. There will be no memory care or skilled nursing care available; however, there will be a full- time registered nurse on staff. For residents who no lon- ger drive, transportation will PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS The Lodge at Sisters is under construction and taking reservations. be available. Hoover hopes to work in partnership with a medical transport company to get residents to doctor appointments. Interest in The Lodge was immediate, as soon as plans were filed with the City of Sisters.. “We knew there was a desire and need for a facil- ity but we’re stunned by the positive reception and enthu- siasm we have seen,” Hoover told The Nugget earlier this year. Hoover told The Nugget that it’s an honor and a com- mitment to be able to say, “You can be with friends and family and maintain commu- nity connections which are important to retain. Honoring our seniors is a wonderful experience to be part of.” More information is available at www.thelo- dgeinsisters.com. Hoover can be reached at 541- 549-5634 or by email at THRIVIFYLLC@gmail. com. Veterans’ Services Serving those who’ve served. 541-585-VETS (8387) | www.deschutes.org/vets
