Community's Music Therapy Goes Hi-Tech

Beamz is currently in use at The Oaks at Bethany Village. The community's iPod program will begin in January.

Bethany Village is tapping into high-tech music therapy for residents in its assisted living and skilled nursing communities.

Recently, Bethany received a grant through Music and Memory that will put 50 iPods into the hands (and ears) of residents who could benefit from the therapeutic effects of music.  In addition, The Oaks recently began using a laser music system called Beamz to assist residents who have spatial perception issues and motor coordination needs.

Bethany is one of less than 20 Music and Memory grant recipients nationwide, and will be receive the iPods this month. Staff members will work with residents’ families to create customized playlists of their favorite songs. The program is expected to be fully  underway by January, says Susan Crossley, director of therapeutic activities at The Oaks at Bethany Village.

Beamz is a computerized system that plays music from a variety of instruments. Sounds are emitted when you pass your hands through the lasers. “I have one gentleman who comes in first thing in the morning before I’m  here and turns it on,” Crossley laughs. However, Beamz does have serious applications. A resident whose Parkinson disease creates difficulty with coordination and spatial perception has been using the system routinely. “She may want to pick up her fork, but ends up moving her hand a few inches in the wrong direction,” explains Crossley. “The sound emitted from the lasers helps give her feedback on where she needs to be. I say, ‘Move your hand to the left,’ and this allows her to know immediately if she moved her hand to the right direction. It helps her adjust her movements to make up for the perception deficit.”