Music and Memory
The purpose of NIU’s Music and Memory program is to further the mission of the national Music and Memory organization: to improve quality of life for individuals with dementia living in long-term care settings. We’ve grown our program to include active singing (Bridges Choir), personalized reminiscence (Memory Books and Life Stories) and interactive, intergenerational programming ("Zoom-Pals").
Our program creates positive interactions for individuals living with dementia, while promoting students’ personal and career growth through experiential learning.
Join Us
If you’re an NIU student, you can join Music and Memory. We’ll provide you with training on dementia basics and interacting with individuals who have cognitive-communicative impairments. You’ll also have the ability to assist with data collection/analysis toward our secondary purpose of maximizing evidence-based practice in dementia care.
It’s a rewarding opportunity to:
- Perform community service
- Improve your communication skills
- Enhance quality of life for individuals with dementia
Community Involvement
We hope to expand our program by bringing awareness to brain health within the DeKalb community. With online and in-person activities/interactions available, our program will appeal to people from multiple areas of interest who want to make a difference in the lives of others.
Executive Board Team
- Leah Isaacson, president
- Liza Buhr and Viviana Cortes, co-vice presidents
- Sarah Screnock, treasurer
- Amanda McGovern, research assistant
- Faith Asbrand, secretary
- Ashley Mendez, social media coordinator
