Students and seniors come together to play music with The 5th Dementia, the debut band of MusicMendsMinds. The nonprofit organization dedicates itself to assisting those affected by Alzheimer’s and other cognitive dementias to restore their confidence, dignity, and self-worth.

MusicMendsMinds organization seeks to ‘restore the rhythm of life’ by bringing together seniors and students in musical therapy

by Benjamin Nguyen

Proving that music truly can be one of life’s greatest gifts, the new intergenerational music therapy project MusicMendsMinds is dedicated to “restoring the rhythm of life” for individuals in West Los Angeles who are affected by Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, or cognitive dementias.

Carol and Irwin Rosenstein founded the organization after their own success story with music and social support. Irwin, a former real estate lawyer, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2006. Until recently, the Rosenstein’s felt their lives slipping away while dealing with the adversities from Parkinson’s. “There were some days, many, when I just didn’t have enough to make life worthwhile,” Irwin said. Continue reading →