Grandpa started singing at a wedding. Grandma with bad dementia began walking toward the voice she’d loved her whole life

Sarah Dennison was attending her cousin's wedding when she saw her grandma, a patient with dementia, approach the stage. She was, in fact, running towards her husband, whom she recognized instantly when he picked up the mic to sing their favorite song. Dennison captured the beautiful moment and posted it on her Instagram profile (@sarahdennison_fluidheart) on January 2. The video went viral with over 6 million views online. As her granny heard her husband sing "My Way," by Frank Sinatra, she was surprisingly jolted out of her dementia, "like she heard an angel," and immediately recognized the voice behind it. 

Dennison's grandma took slow steps towards the stage and pulled her husband into a hug. Meanwhile, her grandpa, who realized the impact this song had on his wife, kept singing while looking deep into her eyes. As Dennison's grandpa finished the song, he kissed his wife before engulfing her in a heartwarming hug, once again. "It took me four years to even think about sharing this sacred moment. My grandma had dementia really badly, and hearing my grandpa's voice made her walk right to him," the granddaughter said.

What Dennison's grandma experienced when she heard her husband singing can be thought of as a kind of 'Reminiscence therapy (RT),' which uses music, pictures, and specific objects to reignite memories in older patients with amnesia. In fact, several studies support music, specifically, as an effective stimulus to recall memories in patients with cognitive impairment. When Dennison's grandma heard her husband singing, perhaps the song he'd sung to her many times, she immediately recognized his voice, slipping back into memories of a lifetime spent together.

Research by Anna Maria Matziorinis and Stefan Koelsch found that music helps people with Alzheimer's often remember their personal life events, even when the song isn't directly connected to those memories. Moreover, they found that music therapy can be an excellent way to help patients build and maintain social connections with others. It improves mood, reduces depression or anxiety, and reduces confusion, along with evoking special memories.

Meanwhile, netizens were in awe, witnessing such a beautiful moment between the elderly couple; for example, @mad.deity commented, "She heard her man, and she was 20-something again in their kitchen, singing and dancing once more." @dishesbydoole wrote, "Imagine being lost in a sea of thoughts or memories you don’t remember or can’t even recall if they’re yours. Then a voice you held dear cuts through it all for a SPLIT second of clarity. It’s crazy how music has that effect, though, and they seem to shake it off for a moment. Sadly, they always slip back into that confusion, but dang, it’s great to see them happy being well themselves, even if for a second." @ritafureverwillsmom said, "Wonderful how music brings people to life. Bless them both. Definitely a core memory of Love's endurance." 

You can follow Sarah Dennison (@sarahdennison_fluidheart) on Instagram for lifestyle content.

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