Greensburg Care Center starts music therapy program with state grant

Patients of Greensburg Care Center who have memory impairment are getting to listen to their favorite tunes thanks to a state grant.

Officials at the Hempfield facility used a $12,650 grant from the state department of health to buy 30 iPods and pairs of headphones to start a music therapy program, the center announced. The program is aimed at patients who have dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other ailments that affect memory.

“Studies have shown that individualized music therapy can activate an area of the brain not impacted by dementia, and improve behavioral and psychosocial symptoms,” said Herb Ross Jr., center administrator, in the announcement. “In turn, that helps people with memory disorders to remember people and places from their past.”

The grant also was used to buy four iPads and speakers for group activities and iTunes gift cards for downloading songs onto the devices. Patients have their own playlists.

The facility’s unit for the memory impaired has 30 beds.