With advanced Alzheimer’s disease, language deteriorates and patients spontaneously speak less and less. In a small study from Israel, group music therapy sessions using tailored songs helped people with middle-to late-stage Alzheimer’s strike up communication.
For the study, six patients ages 65 to 83 attended group music therapy sessions twice a week for a month. Four of the patients were born in Israel; the other two were born in Eastern Europe and immigrated to Israel in their early teens.
Ayelet Dassa, a music therapist and the lead author of the study, selected 24 songs popular in Israel between 1930 and the late 1950s for the sessions.
Photo: Reuters
照片：路透
“In Israel especially for this group, they came here or were born when the state was becoming independent,” Dassa said. The songs she chose were part of the foundation of the patients’ adult identity, which was tied to their country and their heritage, she said.
The music sessions led to spontaneous conversations about the songs, memories the songs triggered and about the act of singing as a group. Some participants talked about life on the Kibbutz many decades ago, or about learning certain songs in school with their music teachers. Others expressed pride at being able to remember lyrics to the songs and participating as part of a group.
“The idea that they are part of something is very important to people with Alzheimer’s,” she said. “They lose their sense of self. Their self esteem is very low.”
(Reuters)
進入晚期阿茲海默症階段，語言能力退化，患者會不由自主地話越講越少。在以色列的一個小型研究中，利用特定歌曲的團體音樂療程，有助於中到末期階段的阿茲海默症患者開始與人溝通。
參與該研究的六名六十五至八十三歲患者，一週兩次參加為期一個月的團體音樂療程。其中四人出生於以色列，其他兩人出生於東歐，並在少年初期移民至以色列。
音樂治療師、該研究主要作者艾亞雷特‧達莎，為這項療程挑選二十四首一九三零到一九五零年代晚期在以色列廣受歡迎的歌曲。
「在以色列，特別是對這個團體而言，他們是在國家獨立之際來到這裡或出生。」達莎說。她選的這些歌是患者成年認同的部分基礎，與其國家與傳承相關。
這項音樂療程導向對於歌曲、歌曲引發的記憶，以及同唱行為的自然交談。有些參與者談到數十年前在奇布茲（以色列的集體農場）的生活，或在學校與音樂老師學習某些歌。其他人則對於能夠記得歌詞，並身為團員參與而表達驕傲。
「 他們是屬於某個東西的一部分的概念，對阿茲海默症患者非常重要，」她說。「他們失去自我感，他們的自尊極低。」
（路透／翻譯：魏國金）
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