Despite the heat, about 200 people showed up June 3 for a day of outdoor fun celebrating the importance of music to mental health, according to Virgin Islands Alzheimer’s Association founding member Edna Williams.
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and the VIAA kicked off the observance by hosting a concert themed “The Power of the Music on the Brain” at the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park. The event featured a bevy of entertainers, including fungi bands, steel pan musicians and others. Community members including residents in their 80s and 90s took part in the full-day event, Ms. Williams said, stressing the importance of holding events geared toward seniors.
“They are valued,” she said. “We do not expect them just to be staying in their houses. Being social is one of those risk-protection factors that are necessary to prevent or help someone who is experiencing any form of dementia. Social interaction, music, activities, being out in the air: All of that was important for the seniors.”
Music and memory
Ms. Williams said the event was inspired by the 2014 documentary “Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory.” The film shows how listening to specific songs could in some cases inspire moments of lucidity for people dealing with memory loss.
“Music touches different sections of your brain,” she said. “It’s tactile; it’s visual; it’s motor function; it’s memory.”
Ms. Williams added that she was grateful to speakers including Health and Social Development Minister Vincent Wheatley, who shared their personal stories of supporting loved ones through memory loss.
The event was supported by the Social Development Department and other sponsors, and Ms. Williams said she has high hopes for what it could look like next year. The association has plenty more events planned for World Alzheimer’s Month in September, including its iconic campaign to “paint the town purple” to raise awareness for brain health.
The VIAA is also planning a health fair about the prevention of memory loss.