Music Brings New Life To Man With Alzheimer's

From the documentary film
Alive Inside.

Henry is an elderly man who has been stricken with Alzheimer's.

When he began to have seizures more than ten years ago, Henry's wife and family made the very difficult decision to place him in the full-time care of a nursing home facility.

Over the years, as the disease took its toll on him, Henry became increasingly non-communicative and isolated, reaching a point where he didn't recognize loved ones and could barely answer "yes or no" questions.

And then came an iPod, a set of headphones, and the incredible power of music.

This video clip of Henry is from the documentary film Alive Inside, which chronicles the efforts of Dan Cohen, social worker and executive director of the non-profit organization Music & Memory. Cohen and his organization bring iPods to nursing homes, in the hopes of helping patients like Henry re-connect with the world through music.

Alive Inside opened in New York on April 18 at the Ruben Museum of Art.

In Defense of Pat Robertson. Really?

In the event that television evangelist Pat Robertson said something stupid (he has) or something hurtful (he did) and he needed to be defended (as if that were possible), there are overwhelming odds against the person who spoke out on his behalf being me. But, here we are.

On his 700 Club television show this week, a troubled man asked Robertson's advice on what to say to a friend who, in light of his wife's advanced Alzheimer's and severe dementia, wants to see other women. After some clear consternation, Robertson essentially says that the situation and disease are horrible, and that he wouldn't blame the man for being lonely and needing companionship. He also advises, and I am paraphrasing here, that if the man were to pursue other relationships, then he should divorce his wife rather than act in violation of his marriage vows.

It would be easy to blow this whole thing up and frame Robertson as a gutless and heartless bastard (and I'm not arguing whether or not that's ultimately true), but if you review the specific language and the context of his statements in this delicate and difficult circumstance, the reality is that this comments don't support that assertion.