“Alive Inside”: Musical is Speaking Where Words have Failed

The Vashon Senior Center is presenting an exclusive Vashon showing of the award winning music therapy documentary “Alive Inside” along with hosts GreenTech and the Vashon Theatre.   This groundbreaking movie is sweeping the nation with sold out performances.  

The showing will be Tuesday, January 13th at 6 pm at the Vashon Theatre.   The cost is $9 per person with tickets sold at the door.    

Do you love someone affected by Alzheimer’s, dementia or other cognitive and physical challenges?  Are you concerned about your own well being?  This movie has been described as eye opening, heartbreakingly beautiful, life changing and compelling.  “Alive Inside” premiered in the category of U.S. Documentary Competition at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014, winning the Audience Award.   The subject of this illuminating and inspiring film deals with memory loss and Alzheimer’s and how music can help and even ease suffering.  The film follows the efforts of volunteer social worker Dan Cohen as he fights against the health care system in his mission to demonstrate music’s ability to combat memory loss and restore a deep sense of self to those suffering from it.
  
“Music connects people with who they have been, who they are and their lives,” Cohen says.    This story is repeated again and again in the film via the therapy of music in a simple iPod, a pair of headphones and musical scores from the past of the participants.  This shortcut to making an emotional connection is seemingly reaching countless individuals for whom life has become restricted by the degree of their dementia.

Vashon Community Care participates in founder Dan Cohen’s non-profit MUSIC AND MEMORYsm Program.  They have certified trainers who help implement personalized iPod music programs for residents and other community members.  On movie night, VCC will provide a donation box for new and gently used iPods and iTunes gift cards.
Interviews with experts contribute to the believability of what seems to be occurring in the film.  Can it really be so simple?   Ava Apple, Executive Director of the Senior Center, is hopeful that the Senior Center can lead the way in what she anticipates will be a growing community wide network of supporters either directly affected or simply interested in the subject.  She encourages everyone to take this opportunity to see the movie on the big screen. “Please join us on January 13th, watch this powerful movie with us, shed a tear or two and become inspired to help us take action as a community so that we can effect change in our own loved ones’ lives”.