The Johnston County Alzheimer’s Music and Memory (JAMM) program has been implemented at three long-term care facilities in the County. This program is simple. It provides an iPod with a personalized playlist of music for each person. By listening to favorite music from their past, research shows Alzheimer’s patients can “come back to life”, allowing them to feel like themselves again and socialize with loved ones, according to program workers.
“My grandfather died from Alzheimer’s”, said Doug McClentic, Rotary Clubs Project Chair, “When I heard about the Music and Memory, I became passionate about introducing the program to Johnston County,” he said.
Liberty Commons in Benson received 40 devices, Gabriel Manor in Clayton 48 devices and Brian Center in Clayton has received 30 iPods. The staff at each of the facility received over four hours of training on how to set up the program for the patients.
The Cleveland School, Clayton Morning, Clayton Mid-Day and Central Johnston Rotary Clubs raised over $23,000 to fund this project, including a $15,000 grant from The Rotary Foundation, through the District 7710 Grants Committee. Enough money was raised to allow the Clubs to implement the program at one more location later this year.
Fighting disease is one of the six areas of focus for Rotary International. In 2014, the District Governor at that time, Matthew Kane, made a call to action for the Rotary clubs in the Raleigh area to do something amazing in the area of Alzheimer’s disease. The Johnston County Music and Memory project is only one of those projects.
The Clayton Rotary Club was formed in 1925 and this year is celebrating its 90th Anniversary. Recently, the club was recognized as the Best Club in District 7710, which includes 46 clubs in the area.
