Querencia at Barton Creek, a retirement community, is pleased to invite the public to a special screening of the documentary “Alive Inside.” The film is a joyous cinematic exploration of music’s ability to reawaken the hearts and souls of seniors affected by memory loss and improve their quality of life. The 2014 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award-winning documentary showcases music’s ability to combat memory loss and restore a sense of self. The screening will take place on May 19 at 2:00p.m. at Querencia (2500 Barton Creek Boulevard in Austin) and will be presented by Stephanie Hoffman, vice president of education and training for the Texas Culture Change Coalition and regional director of the nonprofit MUSIC & MEMORY®. Hoffman has been actively helping to pass legislation to ensure dignity and autonomy for seniors, and will lead a discussion and Q&A following the screening. Querencia recently became certified in the MUSIC & MEMORY® program and will begin to utilize the concept throughout its campus. Associates are looking forward to seeing how the program will benefit residents – especially those in memory support – when they are engaged through music which is customized to their personal preferences.
Audiences will be introduced to men and women who are given the chance to be their full selves. The simple beauty of music returns what memory loss has taken away by restoring memories of hope and love. With an almost instant reaction, music awakens the heart and mind in powerful and emotional ways which are visible for all to see. “Alive Inside” documents the powerful emotional connection that we all have to music and how it relates to our life experiences and who we are as individuals. The film displays the unique connection we have to music and how its healing power can triumph when medication often fails.
“Having the ability to screen this film provides us with the opportunity to inspire the public and show attendees how the power of music can improve lives,” said Nate Weyand, executive director of Querencia at Barton Creek. “As you watch the film, you recognize the powerful emotional connection we all have with music, especially as it relates to events and times in our lives. We are happy to bring Cohen’s film to members of the Querencia community to show people how that connection can be used to battle memory loss in an unbelievably touching way.”
The film highlights the experiences of seniors around the country who have benefited from the simple experience of listening to music, and the film demonstrates the benefits of therapeutic music. The audience will learn that the brain ties music to memory, and that personalized therapeutic music enables the listener to reconnect, regain social skills and live a fuller life. They will see the benefits extend from the simple pleasure of activity to reduction in agitation and sundowning and even reduced needs for anti-psychotic medications.
MUSIC & MEMORY® is a nonprofit organization which brings personalized music into the lives of individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other forms dementia through digital music technology to improve their quality of life. The organization trains caregivers on how to create and provide personalized playlists using iPods and other digital audio players which enable those participating to reconnect with the world through music-triggered memories.
“A love for music is something that we all share, and it’s something that we can all connect with on a deeply personal level,” said Joan Ford, director of sales and marketing at Querencia. “This film is a compelling example of how health care should address unique therapeutic strategies to improve quality of life. I’m excited to attend the screening of ‘Alive Inside,’ and I think we all will benefit from seeing the true power of music in this film.”
Members of the public interested in attending can RSVP by (512) 610-9401.
