“Dancing Through the Decades” is back! On October 24th, Eversound again partnered with Commonwealth Senior Living to host a silent disco event for seniors. Hosted by Christiansburg Commonwealth Senior Living, 3 different assisted living locations attended, rivaling last year’s largest senior living disco event.
Silent Discos Aren’t Just for the “Young”
With an increasing amount of evidence linking dancing and music to positive health outcomes for those living with dementia, it is possible that this silent disco party goes beyond just a good time.
The connection between music and memory is strong because it has the ability to activate multiple areas in the brain including auditory, motor, and emotional regions, research suggests.
Playing music through Eversound’s group wireless headphone system, residents were notably happier and dancing and humming along to their favorite tunes.
Because Eversound provides an immersive experience for listeners, residents were able to engage at much higher levels, one of the noted ways to combat social isolation and it also helped residents living with dementia restore some motor functions.
“I once had a resident who was nonverbal,” Thomason said. “She used the Eversound headphones and I walked in one day to her singing ‘Amazing Grace.’ Just heart-touching.” says Commonwealth Christiansburg’s executive director, April Thomason.
Thomason says the headphones are life-changing because they help seniors communicate with others, can reduce tremors in people with Parkinson’s disease and, by using Eversound to deliver music, can help people with memory loss focus on a task.
Using Technology to Combat Social Isolation & Dementia
Eversound acts on two different levels–on both an individual and group level that allows communities to deliver personalized experiences at scale, like during silent discos. Listeners are able to participate in curated music experiences and are able to connect their own memories to each song while in the company of others, allowing for a shared but personal experience.
Eversound combats social isolation by enhancing sound for hearing impaired residents who are at higher risks for dementia, depression, and falls. Designed specifically for seniors, not only do the headphones enhance sound, they also allow residents to focus, with evidence showing increased understanding of events and less residents falling asleep during programming.
Hear Resident John Burch’s Heartfelt Experience with Eversound Here.
