Inside the New Music App That Helps Dementia Sufferers by Stirring Memories With Personalized Playlists
variety.comChris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music CriticThe final public concert appearances of Tony Bennett and Glen Campbell helped tell the world what many families of those suffering with Alzheimer’s disease already know: that music memories can be some of the last to go.A new app, Vera, is dedicated to helping dementia patients by creating personalized playlists that stir different parts of the brain and can at least temporarily assist with overall lucidity as well as mood.
Universal Music Group announced this week that it is licensing its entire catalog for the app, which is the creation of Music Health, a Sydney-based company.
The program, which Music Health COO Stephen Hunt says has “algorithms turning out the recommended songs for the people who can’t remember what they used to love,” is currently available to download from the Apple app store and will roll out for Android in the coming days.
Hunt points to Bennett’s recent appearance on “60 Minutes” with Lady Gaga as a strong example of how music stimulates even the diminished brain.“You watch that and you see he’s virtually inanimate when he’s not listening to music,” says Hunt. “As soon as it starts playing, he gets right up.
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