Remember Thru Music, originally iPods For The Elderly, a no-cost program providing customized music on MP3 players to those diagnosed with memory loss, announces its partnership with the North Kohala Community Resource Center in Hawi.
With over 50 iPods and MP3 players already distributed to kupuna throughout the Big Island and neighbor islands, Remember Thru Music is now a fiscally sponsored program of the nonprofit North Kohala Community Resource Center (NKCRC).
“We are so excited and grateful to now be part of the NKCRC’s family of over 80 projects that benefit the community of North Kohala,” founder Jen McGeehan said.
NKCRC provides local support, bridges to funding and education for projects that benefit the community of North Kohala. Remember Thru Music fills a tremendous community need in providing support to both those with memory loss as well the families and facilities that serve them.
Established in 2016 and initially funded through the annual Christian Women’s Gathering, Remember Thru Music closely mirrors the national program developed by Music and Memory. The utilization of an iPod, or most recently, an MP3 player customized with the music of a person’s life, often has the capacity for those with memory loss to remember who they are, who their family members are, what they did in work and hobbies, as well as communicate again. Extensive research indicates that the portion of the brain that remembers music is the last portion lost to Dementia and Alzheimer’s.
In addition to often helping those with Alzheimer’s or dementia reconnect with their old memories, music helps recipients manage stress, supports positive interactions, and encourages and coordinates muscle movements.
“There are dozens of facilities on our island that can benefit from this program. Because many suffering from memory loss stay home with their families, there is also a need to educate island communities on the life-altering benefits of personalized music for their loved ones. Our partnership with the NKCRC now affords us the opportunity to apply for grants, while also offering corporate and personal donors a tax deduction,” said McGeehan.
For more information, contact Jen McGeehan by calling (808) 747-2365, via email to RememberThruMusic@gmail.com or visit www.rememberthrumusic.org.