Catalina Springs partnered with the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) and Oro Valley’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) to bring music back into the lives of its residents. Extensive research by cognitive psychologists has proven that music produces a valuable effect on the brain, allowing one with dementia to unlock old memories associated with songs of the past, or at the very least, to regain the joyful emotions one once felt in regards to those musical memories. The program Music and Memory has already experienced tremendous success in a vast number of memory care centers across the nation.
Thanks to many generous donations, YAC has raised over $4,000 to help residents of Catalina Springs reconnect with their beloved songs just in time for Christmas. Check out our photos page or Logan Burtch-Buss’s Explorer article to view the experience.