Dr. Petr Janata, Neuroscientist, on Music and the Brain

“This is a very exiting time to be working in the field of neuroscience and especially in the area of music and the brain. Although topics such as music or emotion have historically been regarded by the scientific mainstream as frivolous or unworthy of scientific study, there is now a surging interest in understanding how music engages and shapes the brain, as well as the ways in which music can help people whose brain function has been impaired in one way or another….

“As a relative newcomer to the world of translational neuroscience – the term used to describe research that has an explicit goal of converting basic research to clinical interventions as directly as possible – I have found myself contemplating the following question: if music is such an important aspect of people’s lives from the time they are born, why is it that it doesn’t really occur to us, as a society, to provide people with music when they can no longer do what is necessary to provide it for themselves?

Music has power and we need to remember to keep everyone plugged in!”

Petr Janata, PhD
Guggenheim Fellow, UC Davis, Center for Mind and Brain

Music Has Power™ Award Winner

Dr. Petr Janata, Neuroscientist, on Music and the Brain

Certified Home Health Aides are special people. I have been running a home care business which utilizes many aides, especially Live-in home health aides. For as long as I have been doing this, I have said that I could never do this work myself.

Home health aides need to be extremely patient, often working with seniors suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer and many other illnesses. These diseases can make clients hard to work with and sometimes even be abusive. Dementia patients often repeat themselves over and over and need to be reminded of things constantly. A thick skin with a caring personality is the trademark of a great aide.

At our agency, we go out of our way to express our appreciation for the hard work they do. A good aide does this type of work for their love of caring for seniors and disabled people. Honesty, integrity, a good work ethic, intelligence, reliability and a host of other attributes are also found in top notch aides, but in my opinion, a kind caring person is where it all starts.

Summer is here, and with it the concern of heat stroke for seniors. Heat stroke is a dangerous and potentially deadly condition that can occur when the body reaches a temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Passive heat stroke typically affects older people (especially those who are also sedentary) who are exposed to high temperatures.  Many seniors either do not have air conditioning or try not to use it very often in order to save money on the utility bills.  It is very important to check up on seniors on days that are particularly hot.
Heat stroke can lead to brain damage, organ failure and even death.
Being knowledgeable about the warning signs is important. Look for:
1.    High body temperature. A body temperature of 104 F (40 C) or higher is the main indicator of heatstroke.
2.    A sudden change in mental status. Seizures, loss of consciousness, confusion, hallucinations or difficulty speaking or understanding what others are saying are signs and symptoms that should alert you to heat stroke.
3.    A lack of sweating. In passive heatstroke, skin will feel hot and dry with no sweat. (Note that in exertional heatstroke, skin usually feels hot and moist.)
4.    Red, flushed skin.
5.    Rapid, shallow breathing.
6.    Racing heart rate. Pulse may significantly increase as the heart works harder to keep the body cool.
7.    Headache.
8.    Muscle cramps or muscle weakness. In the early stages of heatstroke, muscles may feel tender or cramped, and later become rigid or limp.

If you observe or experience any of these symptoms on a hot day – contact emergency services at once, seek shade immediately and take steps to cool off – remove clothing, pour or spray cool water on the skin, fan the body to help with evaporation, move the arms away from the body to give more surface area to cool and place ice wrapped in plastic or towels in the armpits.