PHOENIX (June 16, 2021) – The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) is pleased to announce two new Senior Wellness video collections that make music therapy accessible to senior audiences from the comfort of their home or living community. This important collaboration with Arizona State University’s music therapy program, under the direction of Dr. Melita Belgrave, brings together two Arizona institutions to better serve the senior community. The Senior Wellness video collections are an innovative resource allowing seniors to virtually visit some of MIM’s most popular exhibits with museum curators while exercising cognitive, physical, and social skills through fun music-making activities.

Two distinct collections are available through MIM.org with pricing for both individuals and groups. The Senior Wellness collection is best for seniors at home or in assisted living, while the Memory Care collection is recommended for seniors living with memory loss. Each contains five tour videos with rich musical content and engaging music-making sessions, including 10 music therapy interventions, 70+ minutes of content overall, and a viewing guide.

Participants are led on virtual gallery tours by MIM’s curators, delving into the stories and sounds of five geographic regions through exhibits around the museum. These global journeys explore drumming and dancing in West Africa, the multilingual music of the Caribbean Islands, East Asia’s musical instruments, and much more. Throughout each tour, curators ask engaging questions to enhance interpretation and understanding. Viewers also have an opportunity to make music from the regions as ASU music therapy students invite participation by playing instruments, singing, encouraging movement, and instructing at-home instrument making.

Over the past year, many organizations have created online programming out of safety and necessity. MIM recognized that going forward, virtual programs could meet the needs of an audience that often cannot participate in in-person activities. The development of virtual programs provides the often-underserved population of seniors unable to travel outside of their homes the opportunity for a cultural experience.

“During the pandemic we have had moments of isolation, changes in our daily routines, and a loss of experiencing the arts,” says Dr. Melita Belgrave, ASU music therapy program director. “This program is unique because it is all virtual and comprised of community partners serving aging facilities—launching during a time when older adult residents couldn’t travel to a museum.”

Recent research suggests that music can lower stress and improve quality of life for seniors. With the interventions featured in these programs, participants practice cognitive skills such as attention and memory through the retrieval of newly learned songs and rhythms. Sequential movement during musical experiences helps participants exercise fine and gross motor movements in upper and lower extremities. Mental and emotional health are also emphasized, with opportunities for self-expression and social connection through group music making and movement.

“At times, aging can be lonely and isolating,” says Dr. Katherine Palmer, MIM curator of education. “Many people take refuge in music because it provides a way to connect with others, foster emotional health, and positively impact their lives. Over the last several decades, medical researchers have investigated these positive effects and have found that recreational music making promotes well-being in people of all ages.”

For more details, visit MIM.org/senior-wellness.

MIM’s Senior Wellness programs are made possible by generous donors, including Rusty & Mary Jane Poepl Foundation and John & Joan D’Addario Foundation.

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About MIM
The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) enriches our world by collecting, preserving, and making accessible an astonishing variety of musical instruments and performance videos from every country in the world. MIM offers guests a welcoming and fun experience, incomparable interactive technology, dynamic programming, and exceptional musical performances. MIM fosters appreciation of the world’s diverse cultures by showing how we innovate, adapt, and learn from each other to create music—the language of the soul. To learn more about MIM, visit MIM.org.

About the ASU Music Therapy Program
The bachelor of music program in music therapy at ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts provides training in the therapeutic and clinical uses of music while also further developing artistic competencies. Students learn how to use music as a tool to improve the lives of clients of all ages. The music therapy program prepares students for a career in health care, community-based, and special education settings.

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Media Contact
Johann Warnholtz
Media Relations Specialist
Johann.Warnholtz@MIM.org
480.245.6953

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