Let me start by saying that I do not doubt that some people have extraordinary reactions to being played music - especially when they have been deprived of it for many years.
There is certainly a magic to music that we all feel, but that is impossible to describe.
However, this film is extremely simplistic. First, it would have you believe that this man made some never-before-made discovery about how music can affect people, including the elderly who suffer from dementia. Of course that's not true in the least. We - as humankind - have always known this. Perhaps some people never consciously paid attention to it, or perhaps just the aspect of how it affects the elderly is something that they hadn't considered before.
Then this film seems to imply that music will work wonders on everyone. At one point it even suggests that you won't need medication if you've just got music. Heck, one woman was able to stay at home instead of having to go into long term care thanks to music therapy. I'm sorry, but these are not just crazy, but very careless and damaging claims to be making. Again, I do not doubt that music might be helping THIS ONE, SPECIFIC person. But that's not something that can be extrapolated onto all other people. By making outlandish claims like this, one diminishes the hardships that caregivers go through, because clearly they're just not playing their loved ones the right music. Or enough of it. Right? If music is a magic pill, then it must be the caregivers fault that the person they are caring for isn't dancing with joy all day long. Caregiving is hard enough, and this film just gives outsiders one more excuse to judge and blame them. One more thing to ask "have you tried music therapy? I saw a film about it, and it works like magic!". As if caregivers aren't already inundated with enough unsolicited "helpful advice".
Also, medication absolutely has its place in the management of dementia symptoms. No, they cannot cure dementia, but they can help ameliorate symptoms such as agitation and aggression, which often come with dementia.
My mother lived for music. She wanted to become a professional singer, but that wasn't a realistic dream for her. Still, she would play the piano and sing her heart out at home, as well as singing in a choir that toured the country. When she developed dementia, she stopped caring about music (the same way she stopped caring about her family and friends, the family pets...). At some point it was just noise to her, and she would get angry if we put music on, even if it was her favourite songs. She became agitated and even aggressive at times. Thankfully, we found a medication that helped calm her down, without really sedating her. I'm not saying everything in the film is a lie, and my mother's experience is the truth. I'm just saying that everyone's experience is different, and showing only the most extremely positive cases is misleading and disingenuous.
My mother lived in a long term care facility for the last months of her life. We visited every single day. Sometimes twice a day. We spent time not just with her, but also with the other residents. I still volunteer there. They have various music programs, both for individuals, and in a group setting. Yes, there are a few that will immediately start tapping their feet, or humming along. One lady loves singing at the top of her voice. But they are in the minority. The majority don't react at all. And it's not because they're overmedicated, either, because this facility will try to take residents off medications rather than putting them on then.
Don't take my word for it, either. Volunteer at a long term care facility and find out for yourself. It will be a blessing to those residents to get some additional attention. But most likely, it will be an even bigger blessing to you.
