My grandmother developed dementia toward the end of her life.  She had difficulty remembering who I was–at times not recalling that I was her granddaughter.  Yet, she could recall songs in their entirety.  Although the recollections of her present and more recent life were slipping away, her musical memories were intact!

I came across a fascinating article in the New York Times that describes the powerful role music can play in the lives of those afflicted with Alzheimer’s and dementia.  Click here to read it.

Photo of my grandmother, Hildegard Meyer-Wendt, playing the lute (ca. 1928)