If you take a look around the next time you’re out in public, chances are you will pass by at least a handful of people with their headphones in. And while there may be many catching up on their favorite podcast, there are just as many that are getting down or chilling out to their favorite tunes. It’s not hard to notice that music can indeed change your mood, like discovering a new song on the way to work that can make your whole day. Or, feeling the nostalgia when you hear the Breakfast Club soundtrack that makes you want to punch a hand up in the air. Music plays a large part in our lives and can influence the way we feel, but did you know that it also has an impact on our health?

In a new episode of Absolute Trust Talk, Kirsten is joined by special guest, Dan Cohen. Dan is a long-time social worker and both the founder and CEO of Right to Music - an organization that advocates for integrating music interventions into health care, especially for those in long-term care or with dementia. He also developed the extraordinary and Sundance award-winning documentary, “Alive Inside,” highlighting some of the amazing results from using music as a tool for dementia patients.

Together Kirsten and Dan discuss the positive effects that music can have on people, including:

• How to relieve isolation, boost spirits, and reduce negative aspects of aging
• What your music habits say about your mental health
• How music can help loved ones suffering from dementia
• The epidemic that’s currently plaguing nursing homes

And more!

Now more than ever, our older adults need our support to speak out on their behalf, to help them fight isolation and reconnect with loved ones and peers. While music seems like such a simple thing we hear on a regular basis, it is also something that has slowly proven to be a vital tool in healthcare. We’re excited to share this episode with you as well as Dan’s expertise in the hope that you too can give the gift of music to either yourself or someone you know.