Rock Against Dementia
I was blessed in March of 2014 to attend a screening/panel discussion of Michael Rossato Bennett's multi-award winning documentary Alive Inside at the Cleveland International Film Festival. What began as a one day adventure for Michael,following Dan Cohen's interaction with Alzheimer's/Dementia victims via the vehicle of an I-Pod Shuffle loaded with "Personal" music that had meaning to them as an individual and a pair of headphones for listening turned into a 3 year long labor of love, a journey of discovery,enlightenment and hope that ultimately resulted in a divine mission for both Dan and Michael. Firstly they are committed to providing PMD's (Personal Music Devices) uploaded with personalized playlists and headphones to everyone suffering from these deadly,identity-stealing diseases. Secondly, their ultimate hope is to see that the government allows those devices to be made available by prescription with the costs being reimbursed by either Medicare/Medicaid or other insurance providers.
By the time the final credits rolled on the screen my heart had been touched, my eyes opened, my mind made up and my path made clear. Michael's brother Itaal Shur,who wrote the soundtrack was part of the panel, and I offered to launch the Rock Against Dementia Project to assist them in any way possible by reaching out to my network of Music/Entertainment industry, business, Creative Arts and political contacts. Progress has been slow but steady and on February 11 I was able to arrange a meeting between a Bi-Partisan political group including Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown's Deputy Director Beth Thames, Republican Congressman Jim Renacci's Aide Joe Benny and John Saulitis from the Ohio Long Term Care Ombudsman's office to discuss that and what has become the third and equally important focal point of the mission, advocating for the Alive Inside "Music Before Drugs" Protocol. Sadly many victims of Alzheimer's/Dementia are unable to communicate their needs, wants or feelings like most of us and often times their expression takes the form of agitation, disruption, inappropriate or even violent behavior which usually results in the use of anti-psychotic drugs to sedate them. Music at the very least acts as a calming influence and at best (see the "Henry" trailer for Alive Inside) can miraculously reconnect these people to reality and the present moment. Research has proven that Anti-Psychotics at the worst can prove fatal and at best are only an expensive temporary fix, doing nothing to enhance or improve the individual's quality of Life. Music provides an inexpensive,cost-saving, life enhancing, ethical, effective and humane alternative.
The Ohio Department of Aging with the help of our friend Ohio Long Term Care Ombudsperson Beverley Laubert just received $400,000 from the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS), the Federal agency which controls all Medicare/Medicaid related spending to begin the process of certifying facilities in the State of Ohio and helping implement Dan Cohen's Music & Memory program. I recently attended a networking event at Public Hall and convinced Rock & Roll Hall of Fame C.E.O. Greg Harris to watch Alive Inside. As a result of my Rock Against Dementia efforts I was honored to be appointed Global Outreach Ambassador for the Purple Angel Dementia Awareness Campaign which began in the United Kingdom and has expanded around the world including the U.S. with Knoxville, Tennessee being the first member of the Purple Cities Alliance. Last but not least a series of Rock Against Dementia Concerts will be taking place on Saturday March 21st including one here at the Local Tavern.
Alive Inside "Henry" Trailer Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlm0Qd4mP-I
Bi-Partisan Meeting Link
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=816413091759608
