30 | APRIL 29 • 2021 

E

very time Laura Kienscherf heard 
music, she couldn’t help but dance, 
sing or hum along.
Kienscherf was diagnosed with dementia, 
and although she battled the progressive 
neurological disease daily, music would 
bring her pure joy.
“She was so happy,
” said son Daryn 
Kienscherf, 55, of Royal Oak, recalling his 
mother’s reaction to music. “It put her back 
in time to a place where life was simpler, 
and she wasn’t in pain.
”
Laura, who passed away at the age of 89 
in January, grew up taking dance lessons. 
Frank Sinatra was her favorite artist and 
the crooner’s song “It Had to Be You” was 
one that stuck with her for life. Even on bad 
days, Daryn says his mother would bring 
up the song, either by humming the tune or 
saying the words, “It had to be you.
”
Like many with progressive neurological 
illnesses, Laura felt the numerous benefits 
that music brought to her life. Individuals 
with Alzheimer’s disease and other types 
of dementia, Parkinson’s disease, strokes 
and more have experienced the incredible 
impact that music can have on the brain. 
Now, during Parkinson’s Awareness Month 
in April, it’s more important than ever to 
understand the power of music on slowing 
neurological diseases.

IMPROVING MENTAL ACTIVITY
Music can trigger temporary recollections 
in memory, an important tool for those 
with dementia suffering devastating mem-
ory loss. It also has the power to activate 
and sometimes even improve auditory, cog-
nitive, motor and emotional functions that 
neurological diseases can affect. More and 
more research is coming out that defines 

music as a crucial tool in helping individ-
uals like Laura rehabilitate or slow down 
symptoms.
It’s also an essential coping or soothing 
mechanism that serves as a form of comfort 
when words may fail. Daryn Kienscherf 
recalls when his mother needed eye surgery 
to remove Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare 

type of skin cancer that had grown beneath 
her eye. For this procedure, she was sedat-
ed but awake. The whole time, Laura was 
humming and singing.
Her nurse and surgeon believed she was 
using music to distract herself from the 
discomfort. Music can cause psychological 
changes in mood that can generate relax-

The power of music 
can slow neurological 
diseases.

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY 
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“MUSIC CAN HELP 
MAINTAIN THE PARTS 
OF THE BRAIN THAT 
ARE INTACT.”

— JVS MUSIC THERAPIST JULIE VERRIEST

Music and 
Memories

Laura Kienscherf

Musician Michael Krieger plays for 
the people at the Brown Program 
before the pandemic.

COURTESY OF THE DOROTHY AND PETER BROWN PROGRAM.

OUR COMMUNITY

