Community members living with dementia and their family/caregivers can enjoy special “Dementia Friendly” movie musicals thanks to the Naperville Park District and Dementia Friendly Naperville.
For ages 50 and up, participants can enjoy free movie musicals from the 1920’s all the way up to the 1980’s in a comfortably decorated lounge with movie theater seats at the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center.
The lounge is dementia friendly, meaning that the movies are low volume, and low light (not full darkness). Attendees get to choose the movie, and this helps to give back decision-making to those who live with dementia.
Musicals have important therapeutic benefits for people with dementia. If you think about your favorite song, it often evokes emotions and memories, which are stored in our long-term memory. When this area of the brain is activated with music in someone with dementia it can be stimulate other parts of the brain to improve mood and social engagement.
Music encourages cognitive stimulation, can decrease agitation, encourages movement, reduces muscle tension, increases joy, lowers blood pressure, and perhaps importantly, provides an important medium, or way of communicating, for verbal and non-verbal individuals. And feeling connected to others is vital for people living with dementia, even as their cognitive abilities decline.
Music as therapy is not just for your loved one, though. Caregivers can encounter increased stress and listening to music can help reduce that stress and promote joy.
Movie days are the 4th Friday of every month beginning at 10AM at the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center, located at 305 Jackson Ave, Naperville.
Registration in required by calling Naperville Park District at (630) 848-5000. Upcoming musicals are “42nd Street” (1933) on January 31, “Viva Las Vegas “(1964) on February 28, and “Victor/Victoria” on March 28.
Mary Pomeroy, a frequent movie goer, said, “Dementia friendly movies are a great way to spend a Friday morning.” noting that the facilities are comfortable and convenient.
So, get out this winter and see a dementia friendly musical with your loved one. Oh, and singing along is encouraged!
Carpe Diem!
