Beamz: Interactive Music System

Beamz is an innovative and fun musical instrument that enables special needs kids and individuals of all ages to interactively create and play music. It is a great tool in a variety of special needs and rehabilitation applications, most notably including physical and recreational therapy with children and senior citizens, building inspiration without discouragement.

Beamz is universally designed so it is accessible to students of all learning and physical abilities—it’s switch accessible too! Beamz’ versatility in its application context is unmatched—you can work on cognition, processing, sequencing, cause and effect, motor skills, memory, literacy, math concepts, collaboration, music therapy, music education and so much more. Or, you can simply leverage its “cool factor” to engage students and reward productivity.

How it works?

Performance

Info from The Beamz

Echolilia: A Father's Photographic Conversation with His Autistic Son

"Echolilia" is an alternate spelling of a more common term, "echolalia," used in the autistic community to refer to the habit of verbal repetition and copying that is commonly found in autistic kids' behavior. I liked the idea of it: photography is a form of copying. Kids are a form of repetition. And looking at my kid with photography allowed me to see myself a new.

Archibald, Eli's father 

Eli's parents always knew he was different, but they couldn't explain how and certainly couldn't answer why. It was his younger brother's development that shone a light on Eli's circumstances. When little brother, Wilson, turned 2 and Eli was 5, the mystery of "What's up with Eli?" seemed to “take over everything,” Archibald told.

The father and son started doing photo shoots together around that time. But, Archibald says, he wasn’t trying to create a masterpiece - "Echolilia" happened completely by accident. Taking pictures together was “just something to do,” something to fill the time. None of the shots were planned. Eli would be doing something quirky around the house (for example, blowing into a tube) and dad would shoot in different locations, make lighting adjustments and experiment. Each session only lasted about five to ten minutes before Eli got bored, Archibald said.

Midway through kindergarten, while the shoots were already underway, Eli was diagnosed with autism. His parents were surprised because he’s “so high-functioning,” but they weren’t sad. They already knew and loved their son who Archibald describes as curious, loud, mechanical and larger-than-life –- the diagnosis didn't change who he was. If anything, the autism label “explained some things,” because Eli was different from the other kids, Archibald said.

Letters that Archibald received in response to "Echolilia" showed him that Eli is not alone, not unusual per se. He often receives notes from other parents who say, “That looks like my kid.” The words are surprising and comforting. “I thought it was just us,” Archibald said.

At a recent photo festival called Look3, Eli, now 10, explained what "Echolilia" has meant to him. “It kind of looks into my mind a bit,” he said. “It can kind of show what the autistic brain is like and what autistic kids, or maybe just normal kids in the ages of 5-8 years old, would do.”

Archibald told NPR that Eli’s awareness of his autism is important - he wants his son to see his individuality as an asset. But as a father, Archibald ignores the diagnosis - he told that it doesn't change how he parents Eli. “Building the relationship is your key to everything,” he said. 

More info at Huffington Post

Dementia & Art

I Remember Better When I Paint: Dementia & Art 

We wanted to share this fantastic video as an example of how art is making an impact for individuals living with a variety of dementias in various stages of the disease. While the mind and memories fade, their imagination remains intact. Engaging with art through dialogue and painting allows people to tap into their non-verbal, emotional side and make meaning in the moment. This aliveness and focus is really at the core of quality of life. 

From Sound Options

Alive Inside

Alzheimer’s and dementia are a reality for an increasing and often unseen population. Though well intentioned, many nursing homes are not equipped to fully meet the needs of these residents. We are left with several questions without any real or comforting answers: How do I want to age? What can we do for our loved ones? Can we do better?

Alive Inside investigates these questions and the power music has to awaken deeply locked memories. The film follows Dan Cohen, a social worker, who decides on a whim to bring iPods to a nursing home. To his and the staff’s surprise many residents suffering from memory loss seem to “awaken” when they are able to listen to music from their past. With great excitement, Dan turns to renowned neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, and we follow them both as we investigate the mysterious way music functions inside our brains and our lives.

Besides telling a moving story, it is our hope that this film will encourage widespread adoption of personalized music programs in nursing homes and outpatient therapy in homes. We hope that our film will inspire and educate the millions of people burdened by diseases that affect memory, and create a grassroots demand for this kind of low cost treatment, which could help not only patients but also caregivers across the globe. Like many films that concentrate on a simple story but echo into larger stories, we feel this film raises questions about how we as a society care for the elderly and afflicted.

Alive Inside focuses on one man’s journey, but it raises many deep questions about what it means to still be Alive Inside. It questions when we stop being human, and what it takes to re-start a life that has faded away. It asks questions about how we see our elderly, and how we are going to treat an epidemic of these degenerative diseases.

Info from Alive Inside