Woman creates nonprofit organisation to help people with neurodegenerative conditions with music

Carol’s husband, Irwing, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2006 and with dementia in 2009. He played the saxophone and piano throughout his life.

Things got more difficult for the couple when, in 2014, Irwin started to not respond well to the medication. However, at the time, he got back to playing the piano (for the first time since he had been diagnosed). From that day, he seemed more aware, responsive, energetic and communicative.

"I was at my wit's end, and finally something positive happened. The music actually resurrected him”, Carol noted.

When she told the doctor about this, she was told that “playing the piano caused him to release dopamine and that was giving him the lift”. This made the wife realise that music was more effective than the meds.

So, in 2014, Carol started a band: The 5th Dementia. This band helps Irwin and other people who have neurodegenerative diseases coping with their conditions with music.
That band led Carol to found Music Mends Minds, a nonprofit organisation that aims to help people who struggle with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Music Mends Minds has created 20 bands across the country that have improved the quality of life for more than 200 people.

“It didn't take long before I recognized that we were on to something really grand. So, Music Mends Minds was born. We're in the business of creating bands in different cities where we can find people with neurodegenerative diseases who love to play music and are ready to jump on and have a good time. Bands practice once or twice a week. (It's) a safe zone for patients, for caregivers, for family members and for the entire public to come to a rehearsal and feel the magic of music and change their moods. Everybody is high on life after a rehearsal. We also organize concerts a couple of times a year for all the bands. The concerts bring great pride to our musicians and singers and offers them an opportunity to shine again. We're jamming all over the country. We've reached patients that were lost and lived without music and then we introduced them to the magic of music, and they, in turn, came alive and have an extension on life”, the founder described.

Adapted from: https://cnn.it/2FD9e2M

More info: https://www.musicmendsminds.org/