The COVID-19 pandemic brought changes to every corner of the world. Isolation, fear and uncertainty were present in every person, especially in the elderly, one of the groups most vulnerable to infection by this virus.
This generated negative consequences such as depression, anxiety, loneliness, irritability and insomnia among the elderly population (Naranjo, Mayor, Rivera and González, 2021). And although thanks to mass vaccination and health protocols the number of infections has decreased, we must continue to be cautious and pay attention to the mental health of older adults.
Now, what relationship does music have with mood and pandemic? Gabriel Goñi, General Director of the National Music Center of Costa Rica says that "music has become one of the most important forms of expression of human beings as it manages to immediately transmit sensations and channel feelings, as well as relieve sorrows or make joy grow" (Ministry of Culture and Youth, 2021). In this way, whether enjoying a melody or performing it, music undoubtedly manages to connect with our soul and the feelings we keep.
Music then becomes a positive and pleasurable experience in the midst of pandemic-related uncertainty. Psychiatric specialist Jacobo Mintzer (2021) suggests that music connects the motor and emotional areas when older adults listen to pleasant music and react to it with movements or gestures. In this way, they share a positive and social experience, which avoids feelings of loneliness.
For this specialist, music stimulates the brain and generates positive physiological and emotional responses that can attenuate the depressive and anxious symptoms caused by the pandemic.
Bibliographic references
Mintzer, J. (2021) Interviewed by CNN News journalist. Pandemic has affected older adults physically and emotionally, how can music help? Retrieved from: https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/video/musica-salud-mental-adultos-mayores-covid-19-pandemia-coronavirus-dra-azaret-promo-vls-cnne/
Ministry of Culture and Youth (2021) Words by Gabriel Goñi. Music: healing therapy in times of pandemic. Retrieved from: https://mcj.go.cr/sala-de-prensa/noticias/la-musica-terapia-sanadora-en-tiempos-de-pandemia
Naranjo, Y. Mayor, S. Rivera, O. and González, R. (2021). Emotional states of older adults in social isolation during COVID-19. Scientific Information Journal, 100(2), e3387. Retrieved from. http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1028-99332021000200004&lng=es&tlng=es.
