Therapeutic Music Serves as Memory Shortcut to Happier Times

A few years ago, Maria Serrano experienced a fall that changed her life forever. Her fall was serious, she broke her leg in four places, she tore ligaments, and blood flow to her leg was severely impacted. Surgeons were unable to repair the damage and due to the lack of circulation to her leg, it was amputated above the knee.

While Maria was recovering at Beth Abraham Health Services’ Sub-acute Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Program, doctors discovered that she was also suffering from a blood vessel disease call athero–embolic disease. This meant that the very small blood vessels of the brain became blocked. These small vessels cannot be operated on, and the diminished blood flow can affect parts of the brain, causing dizziness, stroke and in some cases, mimicking the memory loss symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Maria has found relief through the Well–Tuned: Music Players for Health Program through the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function. She has a custom musical menu loaded on her iPod that helps to raise her spirits and refresh her memories. It has even energized her to help others in her health care program.

“I would like others to benefit from what I have been through and to take part in the help that the center gives.”

Her iPod serves as a kind of memory shortcut to happier times before a wheelchair became her main way of getting around. The music offers a momentary respite from what Maria calls her “troubles.”

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