Activities

Guitar Lessons : Activities for Seniors Citizens and Alzheimers Disease Prevention

Consider guitar lessons as an activity to help with alzheimer's disease prevention. Learning to play the guitar can also enhance problem solving skills.

Diane Carbo

Dec 3, 2022 • 23 min read

What are the benefits of Guitar Lessons?

Consider guitar lessons as a proactive measure for Alzheimer's disease prevention among senior citizens. Learning to play the guitar offers numerous benefits, including:

Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills: The cognitive engagement required in learning and playing the guitar can enhance problem-solving skills.
Exercising Spatial and Visualization Processes: Playing the guitar stimulates spatial and visualization processes in the brain, promoting mental agility.
Alleviating Anxiety, Stress, and Depression: Music has therapeutic effects, and playing the guitar can help alleviate anxiety, stress, and depression.
Boosting Self-Esteem: Accomplishing the skill of playing the guitar can boost self-esteem and provide a sense of achievement.
Maintaining Finger and Hand Flexibility: Regular practice promotes finger and hand flexibility, contributing to overall physical well-being.
Lowering Blood Pressure: Engaging in musical activities like playing the guitar has been linked to lower blood pressure.
Reducing Muscle Tension: The act of playing the guitar involves muscle movement, helping to reduce tension in the body.
Providing Opportunities for Social Interaction: Guitar lessons offer a social setting, providing opportunities for seniors to interact with others who share similar interests.
Contributing to Brain Plasticity: Engaging in the learning process stimulates brain plasticity, fostering adaptability and resilience.

Mind-Body Connection:

Research emphasizes the crucial connection between physical health and psychological well-being. Negative thought patterns can impact brain chemistry, leading to mood instability. Depressed states can manifest in physical symptoms such as headaches, back pain, chest pain, fatigue, and more.

Activities for Senior Citizens and Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention:

Activities like beginner guitar lessons provide positive and stimulating experiences for seniors, contributing to a healthier lifestyle. Contrary to past beliefs, the brain remains plastic and adaptable even in older age, benefiting from activities like crossword puzzles, artistic endeavors, and learning to play the guitar.

Influence on Alzheimer’s:

A 2006 study from the University of New South Wales found that regular brain stimulation could reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's by 50%. The cognitive reserve hypothesis suggests that engaging in activities like guitar lessons can cultivate resistance to neural decline, delaying the onset of Alzheimer's.

Seniors with mild symptoms of dementia show cognitive improvement through guitar lessons. Symptoms include avoiding new situations, slower speech, ineffective decision-making, depression, irritability, and occasional disorientation. Engaging in brain fitness programs, including group guitar lessons, has shown positive effects and a decreased risk of Alzheimer's or Alzheimer-like symptoms.

While the definite cause of Alzheimer's remains unknown, stimulating the brain with activities conducive to cognitive functioning, such as beginner guitar lessons, is recognized as a valuable and enjoyable practice. For those preferring individual lessons, Adult Guitar Lessons can be a suitable program.