The power of music is extraordinary. Music can help people cope with a loss, inspire them to overcome a challenge, and even help them fall asleep. The healing power of music is simply indescribable, something that one grandmother proved to her family.
On May 2, 2016, YouTube user The Kelster Life shared a special video of her grandmother singing a song close to her heart. She sang the beloved hymn “In the Garden,” which has been performed by many artists over the years, including Alan Jackson. In the video, the grandmother held a small tablet in her lap and started singing along as she watched a clip of Jackson performing the song.
But what makes this clip truly remarkable is the fact that the grandmother has been diagnosed with dementia.
Dementia affects a person’s memory and also makes it challenging to accomplish simple tasks. But when a dementia patient listens to music, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America says that something incredible happens:
“When used appropriately, music can shift mood, manage stress-induced agitation, stimulate positive interactions, facilitate cognitive function, and coordinate motor movements. This happens because rhythmic and other well-rehearsed responses require little to no cognitive or mental processing.”
That’s why in the video, the grandmother recognized the song and started singing along, and someone off screen even remarked how she remembered all of the words. After Jackson’s song was over, you could tell how happy it made the grandmother to sing again, as she remarked “I love this!“
At the end of the video, someone asks the grandmother if she’d like to sing another song, to which she quickly replied “Yeah, another one.”
You can watch the heartwarming moment in the video below. It was so touching to see how Jackson’s music was able to help this sweet grandmother learn to sing again.