Ithaca College

Susan Durnford, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (SLPA), was recently interviewed by journalist Gary White from The Ledger, a newspaper in Lakeland, FL. 

The article published on March 13th, 2016, is titled “Music Lifts Dementia Patients in Lakeland” and discusses the positive impact of using the MUSIC & MEMORY℠ approach as demonstrated in the 2014 documentary “Alive Inside”.  Cognitive-communication benefits of this approach have included increased arousal and attention, verbalizations, and socialization with others.

Currently, Durnford is mentoring graduate student SLPA clinicians and an undergraduate Physical Therapy student at local facilities using this approach.