Memory Care: How Watching Classic Movies Benefits Seniors with Memory Loss

 

Nostalgia is a feeling that everyone is familiar with, but it’s more than just a powerful sensation. By stimulating the mind, nostalgia can be an effective part of memory care and treatment for memory loss as well. While nearly anything can provoke nostalgia, entertainment from previous decades, including movies and music, can be particularly effective.

 

As a senior living community providing specialized memory care services, Garden of Palms keeps up to date with the latest research and treatment methods for memory related care. In this article, we’ll explore how watching classic movies can benefit seniors who are dealing with memory loss.

 

The Relationship Between Movies and Memory Care

 

Most people view movies as a form of entertainment and escapism. For a few hours, you’re transported into another world, or perhaps another time and place. While entertainment can be an important part of memory care, classic films from decades like the ‘30s and ‘40s act as time capsules; they help recover old memories and encourage emotional connections with the past.

 

Classic movie watching in groups is also beneficial to memory care because it creates an ideal setting for socialization. Dementia can create social difficulties, yet socialization is a critical part of memory care; it encourages a sense of belonging, improves focus, and can even delay further memory loss. Reminiscing over classic movies in a group leads to easy conversation and sharing with others.  

 

Since classic movies are available in just about every genre and style, there is a wide variety of options to choose from. Keep in mind that when selecting movies to use in memory care, it’s best to avoid violent or sad films, or anything that is too complex or very long. No matter what their taste, though, anyone with memory loss can benefit from movie watching, as long as the chosen film is appropriate for them.

 

Conclusion

 

Movies tend to inspire strong feelings in most people, which is why bonding over shared taste is so common. These feelings often last throughout the lifetime, making classic movies an effective part of memory care. Because of the way they stimulate the mind, classic movies encourage reminiscing and create social bonds.

 

Garden of Palms understands the importance of nostalgia in creating a warm and welcoming senior living community, and we schedule movie nights several times per week as part of our busy calendar. For more information about our senior living community, or to schedule a tour, click here.

 

References

https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-11-2008/friends-are-good-for-your-brain.html