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Everybody’s Raving: Silent Discos Come to Long-Term Care

2019; Elsevier BV; Volume: 20; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.carage.2019.03.015

2377-066X

Joanne Kaldy,

Cultural Industries and Urban Development

A new trend for residents in nursing homes and assisted living communities comes from an unexpected source: dance clubs and rock music festivals. The “silent disco” takes personal access to music and the benefits that come from it to a whole new level. “I didn’t know what to expect at first,” said Penny Cook, chief executive officer of the Pioneer Network, of her first silent disco, held during the organization’s annual conference last year. “At first people didn’t know what to do, then everyone got into it, and we ended up with a whole conga line.” She added, “The reaction was immediate, and people were having a wonderful time. They didn’t want it to end.” Using wireless headphones, the silent disco enables people to listen to music at the same time and dance, sing, and interact without speakers, cords, cables, or the interference of background noises and other distractions. “Music has always been a part of our community life, but the use of the headphones enables people to dance to the same music throughout the whole building,” said Rachel Kohl, vice president of program development at JEA Senior Living in Vancouver, WA. The silent disco isn’t a new concept. It dates back to the late 1960s when the Finnish film A Time of Roses showed characters wearing headphones during a party. Fast forward to 1994 and England’s Glastonbury Festival, where the organizers linked an onsite radio station to a video screen. This enabled the attendees to listen to music and watch videos via their own portable radios after the local sound curfews. In May 2002, artist Meg Duguid hosted a silent dance party at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, with an outdoor club installation and a DJ transmitting tunes to wireless headphones. The term silent disco was first used in 2005 in marketing material for the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee. Matt Reiners, cofounder of Eversound, a company that produces wireless headphones, started his business several years ago with a focus on silent discos, but he didn’t initially imagine their use in the post-acute and long-term care setting. “I saw what my grandmother went through and how hearing loss was such a limiting factor to her quality of life and thought we could help.” He added, “We started getting requests from communities struggling to engage their residents who had hearing loss or other impairments.” Today, more than 350 senior communities use these headphones to increase socialization among their residents. The wireless technology enables the listeners’ mobility, and it only requires a transmitter and an audio source to broadcast music and other audio to multiple headphones simultaneously. Ms. Cook noted that experiencing the silent disco can help everyone understand the power of sound . . . and of quiet. “People told me later that they appreciated that they could watch, engage, and laugh, even though it was so quiet,” she said. Music programs in communities often require increasing the volume a great deal so that everyone can hear, she observed, which can be disruptive for those in the facility who aren’t part of the program. At the same time, even with the high volume, people listening to the music program can still be distracted by outside noises. “The headphones benefit everyone individually but also create group engagement,” she said, adding, “You don’t have to worry about the event being intrusive for staff or overstimulating for other residents. This is key because we are all about individualized care and support.” The silent disco concept can have an intergenerational focus and connect residents with family members and staff of all ages, especially because the music can be shared or individualized. “This technology crosses the spectrum of age. It helps break down silos regarding age. The silent disco actually does this,” said Ms. Cook. She added, “I told my son, who just graduated from college, about the silent disco, and he said that he had done one of these at school. It’s a way to connect with younger generations.” Because music is a universal connector, one community, Commonwealth Senior Living in Charlottesville, VA, is planning a silent disco as a fundraising event. Residents will be invited to participate, and the event will be open the public as well. Paula Harder, director of resident programs at Commonwealth, noted, “Music people enjoy has some emotional meaning to them. It takes you back to what you were doing when you first heard it or used to listen to it — whether it’s your high school prom, your wedding, or something else.” But it also can change lives. She said, “We have one resident with Parkinson’s disease. When she has the headphones on with music, her tremors are reduced to almost nothing.” Another resident wouldn’t feed herself, but after staff gave her headphones with music she enjoyed, she would eat by herself. Using the headphones to throw silent discos and dance parties is a no-brainer. As Mr. Reiners said, “Music is so powerful; and the headphones alleviate distractions and measurably improve engagement and focus.” However, Ms. Kohl and her team soon discovered that the headphones could be used for much, much more. “We did a quick pilot, and we didn’t anticipate the results,” she said. “Residents were more alert and responsive and had longer attention spans, even beyond music. We use them for discussion groups, table games, outings, and other activities.” The headphones not only increase the residents’ opportunities for participating in fun activities and events but also help them connect with others. “We had one resident whose wife visited regularly and had trouble connecting with him. Using the headphones, she was able to have conversations with him again. Not only did the headphones amplify the sound, but they also focused his attention on the conversation,” Ms. Kohl said. “The wife was thrilled. She wrote a letter saying how wonderful this was.” Mr. Reiners shared a similar story. “One of our clients told us about a couple who had been married for over 40 years. The husband has dementia, and they hadn’t been able to communicate for a while. Using the headphones, they were able to listen to their wedding song together and actually danced. For the first time in years, the woman said that she felt like a wife and not a caregiver.” “This is a simple system that can impact a lot of people almost immediately,” Ms. Kohl said. Increasingly, she said, “we have family members requesting these when they come to visit their loved ones.” Another advantage of the wireless headphones is its cost-effectiveness. “The company replaces things when they break, and we get the training and support we need,” said Ms. Kohl. She noted that the headphones are sturdy. They can be connected to any audio — from iPods and tablets to radio stations and televisions. “I think there is a time and a place to weave technology into senior living,” Ms. Kohl concluded. “This allows residents to be more successful, more independent, and happier, and that is the goal of our industry. These headphones give residents the ability to continue to enjoy the music, activities, and people. The headphones are particularly useful in memory care units, making it simple for people to participate in music therapy, activities, and events that they love.” Senior contributing writer Joanne Kaldy is a freelance writer in Harrisburg, PA, and a communications consultant for the Society and other organizations.