Carol Rosenstein is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of MusicMendsMinds, Inc. Carol and her husband, Irwin, founded MusicMendsMinds, Inc. after their own success story with music and social support. Irwin, who practiced real estate law, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and early dementia in 2006. The Rosensteins felt their lives slipping away while dealing with the adversities of Parkinson’s Disease and early dementia. Hope and life came back into their home after Irwin’s passion for music was reignited from playing the piano and interacting with students through an intergenerational support group at UCLA, called “Time-Out”.
Carol Rosenstein consulted with Irwin’s neurologist, who explained that “music may help stimulate increases in dopamine secretion from the brain for more sustained levels of energy and happiness.” In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, music is a powerful medicine because it has multiple facets of healing through the mind and body. Research shows that music memory, in these patients, is maintained throughout their disease process. This ongoing ability to create music allows our seniors to relive past memories, increase their self-worth and confidence, and even reestablish their identity. They feel whole and healthy again in the midst of making music.
For these reasons, the Rosenstein’s wished to create an organization, MusicMendsMinds, Inc., which fosters the development of bands and choirs of seniors and students to help forestall the progression of diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and related dementias. Carol Rosenstein was recently recognized as a CNN Hero, and you can watch the video here.
