Musician helps Alzheimer's patients

The boom-bip and rat-a-tat-tat of songs like "Ain't She Sweet" and "When the Saints Come Marching In" ring through the air. Tony Sanso, a leftover of the ragtime music era, sweat glistening on his brow, is banging on the keys of a piano, while his audience, captivated, dances in front of him.I t may sound like a party, but actually it's a Thursday morning therapy session at the Alzheimer's/dementia ward of the Morse Geriatric Center.

"It's like a senior citizen Woodstock," Sanso said. In some ways, it is. The cool, white halls of the Morse Center, though a far cry from the smoky lounges and clubs Sanso used to play, provide a musical focal point for this older generation. His music may do something for them that nothing else can. The scene at the Morse Clinic is almost dreamy, quiet. Before Tony enters the room, the residents mill around, some moaning. Their faces are listless, their eyes glistening under the haze of Alzheimer's disease. Until Sanso arrives.

"When Tony comes in, the room fills up and they know he's there," says Michelle Capogrosso, director of therapeutic recreation at Morse. "It's fun, it's light, it's lively. The music starts, they're singing, there's clapping. Even the staff is involved. "But this isn't just about fun and games. According to Capogrosso, there is a therapeutic benefit to this "party."

"The music really enhances their lifestyle, their quality of life," she says.Dr. Juergen Bludau, the medical director at Morse, has seen immense benefits for residents there after Tony's routine.

"We've noticed that [the music] helps with hydration, it makes them thirsty, it makes them willing to drink," says Bludau. "It helps them...get to bed better. We are able to stimulate an appetite. So, it definitely has a positive impact on these patients. "Can music spark a dormant interest in life? Perhaps so.

A study on the impact of music therapy on dementia patients, conducted by Eastern Michigan University, determined that patients consumed 20 percent more calories when music was played during lunchtime -- food for thought, certainly. The Alzheimer's Association also lists music therapy as a potentially enriching activity. Music, it says, can stir memories and encourage group activity through singing and clapping. The Association and the Michigan study caution, however, that the tunes must match the musical tastes of the residents -- otherwise it could be harmful.

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