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Must-See Video: "Alive Inside" Documentary Reveals the Profound Power of Portable Music

By Rain Noe - April 12, 2012

in Video | Medical

This is a truly heartwarming example of some unintended side effects of product design, and this is your must-see video of the week. In 2001, Apple designed an easy-to-use music player called the iPod. In 2007, the famed author and neurologist Oliver Sacks wrote Musicophilia, a book exploring the effects of music on the human brain. And on April 18th of this year, filmmaker Michael Rossato-Bennett is releasing Alive Inside, his documentary looking at what happens when you bring iPod Shuffles into a nursing home.

This is no frothy Six Flags commercial nor an advertisement for Apple. This is about how elderly people suffering from dementia, individuals who seem locked out of their own brains, can be contacted and connected with by playing back the music of their youth. We'll say no more. Please watch.

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Marie Behn-Segall

11 years ago

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Is it possible to watch the whole documentary or buy a DVD?
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Melodi

12 years ago

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Is it possible to watch the whole documentary or buy a DVD?
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Expat

12 years ago

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My dad has dementia and loves music. Here is what is different about the ipod (I haven't tried any other kind of mp3 player - shuffles are cheap and they work, so I stick with that).

1) Music in your ears. I don't know why, but having earphones on his ears is a much more moving experience for him than listening to music coming from speakers, or even being played live (live gets a bigger reaction than music from speakers, even if the live music is rubbish).

2) Ease of use for carers. A lot of carers are elderly themselves and have poor eyesight, poor dexterity, and/or trouble learning new skills. With the shuffle, you just have to push the button in the middle. If the caring spouse or sibling can't do it, at least someone who visits regularly can do it for the dementia patient on their visit.

3) Flexibility. You can try different songs and keep adding / subtracting according to what gets a positive reaction.

So, it's not Apple worship. I personally own no other Apple products, and haven't done in decades. However, the ipod does just happen to fit this niche remarkably well. I'm sure with time someone will come along with a cheaper knock-off, designed to look more familiar than the ipod does so the patient, or at least his/her carers, can use it with more confidence.
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luneyriley

12 years ago

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Speakers can be inadequate. My mother can't hear the TV just using its speakers, but when I set her up with wireless headphones, it makes all the difference in the world. She doesn't miss the slightest nuance.
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cheryl hammar

12 years ago

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I have worked with the elderly for over 15 years as an Activity Director and recently as a caregiver. I have personally seen how music of the elders era brought them such enormous joy I would always make it the greatest part of their activiies.It was such a morale booster and brought pure joy to seniors who had never shown any emotion due to their dementia. I never give chocolates or flowers to elders for their birthday, I always gtive them the music that "turns them on." I'd be a sales rep. for the Shuffle anytime.
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Janet

12 years ago

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The difference is ease of use. I made many CDs for my elderly father of his favorite music from his coming-of-age era (majority respond in huge way to this ... think about your own). He listened to them in a portable CD player while he walked (heavy, in a bag strapped on his frail body, stopping to change CDs to hear something else) or with speakers at home - when his dementia was in early stages. He loved it SO much ... and it got him talking about his memories, a HUGE pleasure for the elderly. I then got him a nice stereo to play them on, but the simple-to-me buttons were soon too much for him to keep straight, no matter how clearly I wrote out simple directions and went through it over and over. Finally, he couldn't use it at all ... it was just too confusing for him.

Conversely, an iPod (Shuffle, especially) is tiny, light, clips on, and has only on/off, forward/back, high/low volume. That's it! He could have handled that for a longer time. It's also easy for non-techie caretakers to help with - easier and less time consuming than previous devices. THAT is the magic. And music - with such easy access - IS magic!
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Michael Long

12 years ago

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The thing with the Shuffle is that it's small, it's portable, it's inexpensive, and with it everyone can have their own tunes.

What's music to my ears might not be music to yours.
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Ryan

12 years ago

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Jonathan I agree. But I think the big thing with the Ipod Shuffle is its scale. If you handed a person like my grandmother (who is in similar position but not as bad) iphone or ipod touch she would get distracted by its size, what is it, why is it glowing, its heavy. And she would continue to look at it and feel like she is missing out on something. The shuffle being so tiny allows for the product to give way to the core of what is happening and that is the experience of the music. So you can compliment apple a little in this documentary but most of all its the music that does the magic.

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Robin

12 years ago

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I agree with Jonathan. I am curious about what's difference between listening music by ipod and other speakers. I think it's nothing to do with Apple. Music is the point.
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Jonathan

12 years ago

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This is a great video and a fantastic result. What had stopped them from doing this with a walkman 20 years ago? Is there a similar reaction in a room with his music playing over speakers? I hope the documentary focuses more on why this reaction occurs rather than "iPods are magic."
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Adam Weaver

12 years ago

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Frequency is the creation of light and sound. There is nothing without vibration. This is a great. Thanks for the article and inspiration.

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JR

12 years ago

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I think that's what Steve Jobs ment when he talked about their products being "magic"..
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