Why Using Music to Connect with the Older Adults in Your Life Works

There are so many reasons why we become disconnected from people we love. There are so many reasons why we don’t make attempts to find new people to love. We feel preoccupied. We feel too far away. Or maybe we wish we had gotten the timing right for that amazing conversation with someone that took the relationship deeper.

Connecting can be difficult , especially now in 2021. After a year of virtual meetings, fewer hugs, and sparse holidays, we need to focus on identifying the tools that will make it easier for us to establish or reestablish connection.

Music is one of these tools and it can be used to connect with practically anyone of any age or background, but it’s especially helpful for finding common ground with the older adults in your life. The longer a person lives, the more memories they have access to. We know that music is especially sticky when it comes to memories. First dates become stuck to the song playing in the car on the way to the restaurant. Tunes played on the radio in your childhood home come along with the memory of your mother humming while washing dishes in the kitchen. The older a person is, the larger their stockpile of musical memories is.

This is why when you haven’t seen your family member, friend, or neighbor in a long time and you need a starting point for reaching out or diving past the small-talk, you should turn to the topic of music to relive shared experiences, learn something new about your loved one, or establish fresh material for relationship-building. Ask about the songs your grandmother grew up listening to. Interview your uncle who played lead guitar in a band as a young adult. Send your mother a playlist of the music you think she’ll love. Use music to connect.

In Partnership with Fort Collins Musicians Association, Sound Affects produced a three part video series called “Tips for Connecting With the Older Adults in Your Life.” For more ideas on how to use music as a social launching pad, watch the series here: