Native American tribal members battling memory loss in Arizona have a new tool that aims to improve quality of life: a newly released album of music by Native American artists.
βWalk With Me,β launched by the Native American Outreach Program at Banner Alzheimerβs Institute, will be distributed in tribal communities for dementia patients and their caregivers.
Studies indicate music therapy may help improve behavioral issues and can provide a way for patients to connect with others when theyβre not able to verbally communicate. The project, which began during the pandemic, hopes to help increase the quality of life for both the patient and their caregiver, especially for those families isolated on reservations. There is no cost for the CD.
βWith the ongoing and varied changes a person with dementia can experience as they progress, music can be used as a tool to connect, communicate, move, modify mood or even help with self-care,β said Heather Mulder, associate director of outreach services at Banner Alzheimerβs Institute. She explained that the songs for the βWalk With Meβ CD were chosen by a team that listened to songs for therapeutic value and cultural relevancy.
It includes upbeat songs to start each morning on a positive note, and soothing songs to cue the body and mind that it is time to wind down and go to sleep, explained Mulder. She said certain songs may be effective for challenging activities such as bathing or performing other types of personal care.
βThis CD is really the first of its kind, especially in the Native American community,β Mulder said. βWeβre still in the process of distributing and will be partnering with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona so we can reach as many families as possible.β The council has 21 tribes as members and the organization provides a voice for tribal governments to address common issues of concerns.
Mulder said the institute and council will develop an in-depth education program which will be showcased at an annual conference on Alzheimerβs disease in Native American communities in October. She said those in attendance will receive a copy of the CD.
The work is in collaboration with Canyon Records, which has underwritten the project. Canyon Records, Sunshine Music Therapy and Banner Alzheimerβs Institute partnered to help Indigenous people who are living with some form of memory loss, said Kathy Norris-Wilhelm, director of promotions with Canyon Records. There were 1,000 copies made in the first run and more runs may be done based on the demand and need, Norris-Wilhelm said.
Robert Doyle, owner and president of Canyon Records, dedicated the project to his mother, Corazon Esteva, and Jean Norris-Wilhelm, Kathyβs late wife. Both women died from Alzheimerβs disease.
βMusic itself is a tool and music in the Native American communities is an integral part of daily life,β said Kathy Norris-Wilhelm. The CD is a compilation of music from various Native American artists, and songs include βWinter Camp,β featuring R. Carlos Nakai on Native American flute and Cliff Sarde on keyboards, as well as βRoad Less Traveled,β with Aaron White on guitar and Kelvin Bizahaloni on Native American flute.
White, a member of the DinΓ© (Navajo) of Northern Arizona (Blacksheep Clan) and the Northern Ute tribe Whiteriver band, is a Grammy-nominated musician. He was a close friend of the Norris-Wilhelm couple and said he wanted to pay his respects through his music.
βIβve known people in my family from way long ago who had Alzheimerβs. When things start to go wrong, you feel for them,β he said. He wrote the instrumental piece βRoad Less Traveled,β which is about a personβs journey in life.
βSome will follow the common trail in life and go with the flow, and those who choose the road less traveled is because it is more of a challenge and a learning process. It is an adventure of the unknown and seeking out wisdom and strength and all we need to survive in this world. It is a determination of strength, peace and harmony that all human beings need to live on this Earth,β said White.
Award-winning performer of the Native American flute, Nakai, of Navajo-Ute heritage, said of βWinter Camp:β βThis music is my awareness, my voice, my spirit and it comes to me from those who have gone before and will go on to those who come after. Performing this music requires that I reach deep within the impressions and thoughts that reflect my past experiences. My hope is that those who listen to the voice of the flute are inspired to find their own expression and perhaps reclaim what was lost or find something new.β
Music has been shown to be a powerful tool when it comes to helping dementia and Alzheimerβs patients, says the Alzheimerβs Association. According to the association, βOne in five Native American adults aged 45 and older reports experiencing memory or thinking problems that might be a sign of dementia.β
The Alzheimerβs Association also says:
Native Americans are more likely to develop Alzheimerβs or other forms of dementia than white or Asian Americans. At the same time, American Indians overall have less access to health care and health services and are less likely to be diagnosed once they show symptoms, creating unique challenges in addressing Alzheimerβs and other dementias.
As many as one in three Native American elders will develop Alzheimerβs or some other form of dementia.
By 2060, the number of American Indian/Alaska Native individuals aged 65 and older living with dementia is projected to increase fourfold.
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