Mindy Peterson is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM), and music advocate who has been a music educator since 1991. She is also the Arts Advocacy Chair of the Minnesota Music Teachers Association (MMTA) and a member of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). In her podcast Enhance Life with Music, she explores the holistic impact of music in our everyday lives, examining its influence through the lenses of science and health, sports and entertainment, business, and education.

The guest of this episode is Justin Russo. He is the Director of Programming at the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF), where he leads strategic planning, program development, and stakeholder engagement. In this role, he designs and implements IMNF training initiatives, including Best Practices from Music Therapy for Using Music in Senior Wellness and Healthcare. Justin works closely with interdisciplinary teams to ensure that IMNF’s educational programs incorporate the latest neuroscience-informed advances in clinical music therapy.

Amongst others, they talk about:

• How Music & Memory leverages individualized playlists to rekindle communication, reduce discomfort, and enhance quality of life for people living with dementia.
• The neurological and emotional reasons personalized music is so effective, including what occurs in the brain when a person with dementia hears a meaningful song from their past.
• Research-supported guidelines for using music safely and appropriately with individuals experiencing cognitive or physical challenges.
• The economic implications: how personalized music programs can decrease reliance on medication, support better recovery outcomes, and generate cost savings.