BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Inside Bethlehem’s Moravian Village, music is helping people living with Alzheimer’s disease find moments of movement, connection and joy.
Danny Grae uses music to get people moving during his Zumba classes, creating an opportunity for participants and their caregivers to connect through familiar songs and rhythms.
For John Velonis, the class offers a chance to share a special moment with his wife, Judy, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2017.
“She really enjoys the music with the beat,” Velonis said. “She’ll sometimes try to follow along and tap every once in a while.”
Grae says he has seen firsthand how music can make a difference for people living with Alzheimer’s.
After one of his performances, a woman approached Grae to tell him about her mother, who had not spoken for more than a year.
“She was singing along with me. She was laughing,” Grae recalled. “And she said, ‘You just brought her back to life. And I haven’t had that for a year.’”
About one in nine Americans age 65 and older is living with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Grae says he carefully chooses songs he believes will encourage people to participate.
“I pick songs that I think they will enjoy, that will get them moving, that will get them singing also,” Grae said. “Because I think that’s very important.”
Grae plans to continue performing throughout the Lehigh Valley, using music to help people living with Alzheimer’s find moments of connection.
“Anybody who’s watching this has somebody that they’re caring for and they’re not sure about the whole situation, all I can say is be patient. Love them,” Velonis said.
For Velonis, that means continuing to show up for his high school sweetheart, Judy, just as he has every day.