Whispering Hope and Faith: Still, Small Voices for the Alzheimer’s Journey

Abstract

Profound memory loss is commonly referred to as “loss of self.” However, it never means “loss of soul.” People with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) continue to experience spiritual needs, as do their caregivers. For many people, religious or spiritual experiences are part of their long-term memories. These memories are accessible to the person with AD until very late in the disease. Ancient memories of a parent praying with a child or singing hymns to comfort may date back to infancy and so are preserved in the brain well after verbal communication has been destroyed along with short-term memory. Religious music continues to be one of the most powerful interventions for reaching those in the late stages of AD. Music is stored in the brain through a complex neural network that preserves it when other areas of the brain are destroyed through AD. This chapter discusses the many ways that spiritual needs can be met through music, literature, touch, prayer, candles, a menorah, a rosary or Bible, the smell of incense, wine, or fresh bread.