Healing Power of Personalized Music Therapy for Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia
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- Опубликовано: 14 июн 2012
- To learn more or donate used iPods or other Apple based music listening devices, please visit BroadwayAlzheimersIPodDrive
UPDATE: My mom passed away on December 26, 2014. She unfortunately suffered from Alzheimer's Disease. My mom had roughly a 4 or 5 word vocabulary. Please watch how music ignited her memory and speech that once was lost. There is no greater gift than unlocking the mind. She spent a lifetime inspired by music and it gave her an awakening once again. Visit www.musicandmemory.org to learn more about this inspirational outreach of music.
![Sean Rii, Karyon, Sharzkii - Taungule [My Love] (Official Music Video)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eJoMuypbSzQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I gotta tell you an experience I had like this with your Mom. I took care of a young man who had a head on car crash & was severely injured. Could not talk, walk. I took him in his wheelchair with me to church where he had gone all his life prior. The song came & everyone started to sing...HE STARTED TO SING! Got the words, the tone, the timing! He can't speak a word but can sing! I burst out crying & he looked at me like, 'Of course I can sing!' He was 'alive inside' & no one knew it! Amazing!
Hi Dave, My name is Lynne and I am a Creative Arts Therapist and analyst in NYC, doing art therapy and poetry therapy in private practice. I am very familiar with the work you are referring to. While I specialize in working mainly with children and teens, I teach and supervise at NYU. They approached me and asked if I would supervise a group of students that wanted to do a creative arts therapy internship with Alzheimer's patients at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House's CARE day treatment program. As I did not have a lot of experience with this population I started watching videos and was amazed - I think that "Henry waking up" was the hook. I did supervise the students in the this program that year - and what a beautiful program it is. The entire day is filled with adults that function at the level of your Mom, or a bit higher - and the ENTIRE curriculum is art, music, poetry, dance, drama, in a room full of instruments. Plus a beautiful lunch every day. Volunteers are lining up to perform for and interact with these folks. It is one of the best things I ever did. Thank you for raising awareness about how effective this is - and please contact me if you need any NYC resources for your Mom - I have a ton. I agree, she is absolutely beautiful. Bless you. Best, lynne
One of the messages I take from Alive Inside is that putting elderly persons in wheelchairs along the wall w/ no stimulation is "cruel and unusual punishment" for the "crime" of getting old. The other is that music activates areas of the brain that otherwise go unused. God bless you Dave. You are the son every Mother should have. 01/20/2015
I was feeling down.. looking for music to lift my spirits. Found this. Spirits lifted beyond belief! Thank you SO MUCH. ❤️
I am so moved by the responses and number of views of my mom's video. I hope this form of music therapy becomes widespread and we start to treat those suffering with Alzheimer's as real people that still matter.
you are a wonderful son..my grandmother had Alzheimer's to bad for her it was before the discovery of how music made such a positive impact on them i just wish i could have given her happiness like you have with your mom ..but now i am faced with my Grandfather going down the same rode and i cant wait for our next visit with him i am bringing my player and headphones ..cant wait to see his reaction ,,,and your mom is adorable with her smile and slapping your hand to the beat !!! Very cute!!! Bless your heart brother!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this special moment with us. I am a RNC at an assisted living facility. I am trying to get something like this going for all our residents to have their own with music chosen by their families. Watching this just validates the reason I do what I do. Thank you.
Dave, Thanks for sharing this moment with your mom. I teach piano/organ/and keyboard. I used to entertain for a friend when he was in a Nursing Home. I tried to play old songs from his era, i.e., songs that he grew up and could relate to. One time I played, "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." A man who appeared to be in a catatontic state, sang along in full voice. He knew all the words. The nurses told me they had never seen anything like that. He was in a stupor all the time except when I played that song. The nurses and I all had tears in our eyes. An unforgettable moment!
Music is a gift to the soul.
Her hitting of the hand could be described as joy aggression. Just like when you see a puppy and you want to give it a tight hug. Rock on mom!
Beautiful. Such a special couple. Music feeds the soul, don’t matter what type. ❤️🙏I’m so sorry for your loss.
Wow! Talk about powerful messages here! First and foremost, how refreshing to see you and your sister demonstrate what true love, caring and concern actually looks like in today's "throw away" society.... especially when it comes to the elderly. Throw in something such as alzheimer's and most of us feel completely and utterly helpless, devastated by the alienation which we and the alzheimer's victims (we assume) must feel . YOU FOUND A PATHWAY!! Your mother's reaction/singing says it all. Talk about palpable love!!!
Oh JOY..Im crying tears of happiness..Mom started smacking that hand" well done son" well done son" is what she was saying..and Dad was all the way with it.. Well done guys..I really mean it..I'm overjoyed and cant wait to share this with my cousin that is dealing with Alzheimer's with her mom and my aunt..Thanks
I wish I had only known when my Mom had Alzheimer's. I have given my son instructions today to play my ipod so that I won't forget who they are if I get the disease, which is highly probable. Memory is everything. God bless you.
I brought my guitar to play to my mom who's in advanced dementia the other night with the same results. I need to do this! Thanks for posting, Dave. I love how she pats yor hand. That's so sweet.
Thank you for this post. I am a caregiver for my mom, she has middle stage dementia. She was an outspoken, smart woman before the onset of her disease. Beautiful video of you and your family.
Dave -Thank you for sharing this wonderful, beautiful and so personal experience with us, I cried! I nurse in Germany with dementia patients and am fighting for changes in how our loved ones are treated in care homes and 'normal' hospitals. Your hopes that your film is inspiring have been realised, thank you so much......
Is she listening to John Michael Talbot? My husband recieved a diagnosis of Alzheimer's three months ago. My heart is blessed to see how your sweet mother is touch by God's word in song.
Dave, what a sweet and moving video! I absolutely LOVED watching your mothers reaction. I also loved how clearly and patiently you taught your father how to use the equipment. I'm thrilled for your Mom and your family. I am a member of the Music & Memory Utah Coalition which just launched a few months ago. We are in the process of rolling out Dan Cohen's program to the entire state of Utah. Thanks to the inspiration of the award winning documentary Alive Inside, and with the help of amazing partnerships and donors, every nursing home in the state of Utah will be getting iPODS and trained in the program, and Skullcandy has donated all of the headphones! In addition, anyone caring for a loved one at home may request the program. It is groundbreaking, and so exciting to be a part of literally changing lives and reawakening people through the power of music. Now we are spreading the news for everyone to get involved - donating used iPODS, iTunes gift cards, volunteering, and giving monetary support to keep it going. Music & Memory is truly one of the most inspiring programs in the world! Best wishes.
LOVE this!!!!! THANK YOU UTAH!
She recognised you! she brought her love back to her memories! Awesome.. you made me emotional!
Dear Dave,
Thank you so much. My dad called me about 5 days ago and told me that mom doesn't know who he is. She keeps asking him where her husband is and tells everyone that my dad is her father. :) We have been referred to a book by Jennifer Ghent-Fller. Understanding the Dememtia Experience. I will be referring you and this info to my extended family. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you and your family.
Dave, thank you so much for sharing. I am a board certified music therapist. I really appreciate the work that Dan Cohen has done, but feel that you have really maximized the experience by sitting with your mom and singing WITH her, and providing supportive touch, praise and encouragement. Keep up the good work :)
Thank you Melissa
Your
Seeing your mother from lethargic and silent go to enthousiastic using her body language to make intense contact and later even sings to you thatis a miracal!
Dave, thank you so much for sharing your experience with everyone. It's wonderful to see the effect the music had on your mother and great that she has music back in her life. We are working on a music project for people living with dementia in the UK. Our best wishes to you and all your family.
I don't think enough people, including many in the medical community, have the first clue of the therapeutic power of music. I have a complex mixed seizure disorder which is comprised of 4 types of seizures: gran mal (tonic/clonic), petit mal (absence), complex partial and simple partial seizures. I have a brain lesion called a cavernoma with the complication of an inner angioma. I was a certified nurse practitioner before this all began and life as I knew it ended eleven years ago. I was losing my battle in coping with the daily seizures. Then two years ago the miracle came. Don't laugh, but I discovered when I listen to David Cassidy sing, my seizures are shorter, less severe and sometimes even derailed during the aura phase. I hadn't really thought about him for decades. My husband bought me an ipod classic and a shuffle in 2012. I have bought tunes here and there when I have the funds (everything I can find by David Cassidy and a variety of mostly 60's and 70's songs I love). Your video touched me so very much! My husband puts earbuds or headphones on me during a seizure if I don't get it done myself beforehand (music playing through speakers in the room doesn't have the same effect). Those of us with these neurologic conditions need love, support and humane treatment. You displayed this splendidly! Also, David Cassidy's voice has done more for me than any conventional treatments or medications. Okay, you can laugh now..............my family and my doctors have had a few chuckles about it. It doesn't bother me a bit! ;)
Bless you David Sings.:-)
Her smile, excitement and singing made the price of that iPod so worth it. I can't believe she even remembered some lyrics too! I just want to go out now and buy my local retirement home a bunch of iPod shuffles & headphones :) You could tell your mom was so grateful you had given her this, truly inspiring.
beautiful to watch.
Truly amazing video, I am doing a paper on music therapy and I was completely overwhelmed by your video. Your mother truly comes into her own through the music. Thank you for sharing this with the world. She would be proud!
I recently watched Alive Inside and was so moved by it. I happened upon your video and am going to put together a playlist for my Dad, who has Parkinson's. I think that the way you listened and sang and enjoyed the music together made this particularly wonderful and probably increases the power of the music to enliven the brain. We all thrive in relationship. Thank you so much.
Music and Love are universally, a common language. You have given your mother both. And I could see her telling you how much she loves and is grateful for you. No words needed. Important upload, I will share.
Thank you so much for posting this. My grandfather has Alzheimer's disease, and he remembers his prayers (we are Portguese) and the Portuguese National Anthem, yet he can't remember our names. I believe that music is the key to unlocking the mysteries of the brain. I am studying psychology and music. I take of my grandfather as a PCA, and at 20, I never thought I would be doing this, but it must be done. This video touched my heart, and gives me hope. Thank you.
I'm so thrilled you watched this video Dominic. Good luck on your quest to become a music therapist and never lose sight on what a difference you can make in so many lives through music. Cheers!
Oh wow! This brought tears!!! What a wonderful thing!
Dave, I only just now saw this video three years after the fact. So unbelievably powerful! I'll never forget my grandmother - who also suffered from Alzheimer's - in her senior care facility playing hymns on the piano. She wasn't trained, but she knew a little and could read. It always brought her into the moment, gave her focus and provided her genuine pleasure. It's amazing what you've done to raise awareness and help to alleviate the suffering caused by this disease. Thank you!
I can feel how much you love your parents.
Thank you for your video. I sent a copy to my Father. He is caring for my Mother & her health.
next time you see a music program or a music store closing, or funding cuts to music education , please think of this, Our future selves will need music , our kids will always need music.
Music doesn't live in your mind, it lives in your soul.
Please support your local programs .
Wow, I'm so glad I watched this. I thought she was going to beat you to death, lol! To go from sitting in the chair with no expression and no interaction with anyone in the room to that sweet smile that never left her face was utterly incredible! My mom too suffers with this nasty disease and loves music. She has never lost the ability to sing harmony with anyone that sings. So I sing country, not my favorite but hers, so she will sing with me. I thought my mom was the only one. Thanks so much for sharing this.
This is so beautiful. It even gives me hope and eases my fears of getting older. Thank you
I can't believe anyone would thumbs down this video!
Love it !!!
You are a good man.
Your Mom's response is priceless !
The World is made of Sound.
*If you have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or another dementia, you are not alone.There are people who understand what you are going through, and help is available*. Go here ==> memoryhealer.tumblr.com/alzheimer.html
Click it, hope it helps
God Bless you both, thank you for giving me & others not only hope for a communication with our loved ones, but perhaps for ourselves as well.
I saw Alive Inside a couple years ago and am working on presenting 2 screenings for caretakers, with concerts following from different genres where caretakers can bring their family members/charges. So moving. Had I known when my mom and sister had dementia what I know now....
+Jill Padua That film inspired every step I've taken in fighting for both of my parent's disease and all the rest of us. We are getting closer. I'm very proud to have a small portion of my mom's video added to Alive Inside. It is towards the end when it shows a sampling of other people inspired to spread this use of music.
+Dave Roth - every bit we can do...
Hi Carrie. I remember Harold and Agnes well. Beautiful people!!! Thank you so much for watching and reaching out. Please spread the word!
It's not that I'm trying to be "pc" but our family prefers to describe our mother as struggling. The world around them begins to feel their own sense of suffering because they are feeling the loss from the outside looking in day after day. My mom come's to life with music as well but there is no suffering at all.
Hi Estelle. Yes I completely understand your feelings on this and also completely respect them. However, I have been involved in the Alzheimer's community not only as a loved one but also as an activist and lobbyist on Capitol Hill in DC. I have attended and spoke directly with medical researchers at the highest levels and one thing I have come to understand is that we don't understand what someone is going through in Alzheimer's. Before both my mom and dad passed away through the struggles of Alzheimer's (For both of them) I always hoped that they were unaware of what was happening to them. But the realities are that we truly don't know what they may be thinking behind the curtain of what we see from an outside viewing seat. My best to you and your whole family and particularly your mom.
We are now watching my Dad slip away day by day to that very same Disease. We'd have conversations with my dad and tried so very hard to discuss what he saw as his wife of 62yrs very slowly slipped away. He cared for her every day all day at home until he could no longer. He handed me a journal he kept how he felt, what he went thru back then. I have Epilepsy and lived with my folks but moved into my own house to be come more independent. I'm 53. I didn't just visit my folks, I lived with them. When I read my dad's journal he wrote of how she struggled in many ways but the suffering was his. He refused to project his emotions onto her. Some day we may better understand, But to read one man's journey thru his eyes then as much as he could as he slipped to far away. I thoroughly agree that we may never know completely but he had her keep a journal and he kept one her own. they both had different thought patterns but they both shared their lives together. Near the end the only way to reach them was with some Rosemary Clooney, Doris Day, Frank Sinatra and some carol King. So in the end, we believe that no matter what or what struggle's or suffering, In our hearts it was all about the music.
I'm currently devising a piece of drama for my A level exam and I have based it around Alzheimer's and getting a message out to people so they have a clearer and better understanding of it:) videos like this are complete inspiration to get the message out to people! Thank you very much, my love goes out to you!
Every community organization could sponser a fund raising event to provide nursing homes and assisted living facilities in their area. The cost is not that high, per patient. And whatever in service would be needed to assist in the research. Please if you read this tell your friends, try to organize similar programs in your community, or provide your parent, at home with these things,
The earphones and Ipod shuffle are all it takes, preprogram it with their personal favorites, the music of their youth, plus beautiful classical and light jazz, new age soothing music. Spread the word, Watch the movie ALIVE INSIDE: Music and memory. Available on DVD , Netflixs, etc.
Your Mother Inspires Everyone... Brought So many Tears To My Eyes.. My mother Was Catholic And She passed Away Thanksgiving From Cancer.. God Bless You And Ur Family.. Merry Christmas... Wish I Could Give Ya Big Hugs And Ur Mother As well... Hugs
Marley robertson My condolences for your loss.
Just magic i work with dementia patients and I always have music surrounding them everyday this is fantastic !! thank you for sharing
Thank you so much for this. My dad is suffering from Parkinsons/dementia and we will be trying this with him. You are a good son, God bless you!
I hope this helped your dad.
Dear Dave,
Thank you. Whenever I sing and see a smile, I am transformed.
Abbe
This is beautiful. Just beautiful.
This is incredible. She has such adoration and love in her eyes. What An amazing breakthrough. I have become interested in this as many members of my family have this awful disease. Now I can try to communicate with them again. Thanks
This is Beautiful. Music is amazing.
This is absolutely beautiful I cried and cried..you have a precious family thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful moment: )
I love it !! so I think taht the ALTZ's social problem is like medicalization for aged people and musical alienation for the AL patien
Thank you for sharing this! It was so wonderful to see your momma smile! Music is so powerful and such a great healing tool.
We are offering free download of some Hymns albums for this project! (I just uploaded a video about this called "Songs for Music & Memory iPod Project" ) I am an entertainer serving the Milwaukee area and Northeast Wisconsin
I once walked into a facility and found residents hovering over the CD players singing along to our CD, Reflect Hymn. The nurse told me that they do this every day and, "Do you have another album?" (They had to listen to it every day too!) I was glad to report that I did, reflect Amazing Grace. Enjoy!
God Bless You Dave. You hit the home run ball. Keep on with it. Best to you and your family. Mom's face and reactions were simply beautiful.
Thank you Judy...Spread the word!
That was just simply beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing. My grandfather is dealing with the same situation, and this really hit home for me. My boyfriend just got home and I'm just here crying..heh? She is a beautiful woman, again, thank you. Denise.
Thank you so much. I am so glad to find your video. And so happy for your Momma. I have had smaller but moving experiences providing therapeutic and recreational drumming for residents in senior living situations including memory care. I had a larger and very moving episode with this individualized while at home with my father during hospice care. I often use poetry and rhymes familiar to most in a group and it awakens them and they begin to participate. This individualized music is even more powerful and fulfilling for advanced alzheimers. Its a long shot but If facilities could invest in the group headphones with player then the group could listen together (and actually hear it ) and even participate with the music holding a frame drum. wow.
Absolutely WONDERFUL!
Amazing, thank you for sharing this with us.
This is so beautiful. Dave, I wonder if your mom is continuing to listen to her music? Thanks for sharing this, it is really incredible.
Hey Dave :) I work for a company called Home Instead Senior Care.. We provide non-medical services to our clients.
I have initiated "Music as a non-medical service" for our clients. I was really impressed with the reaction your mom had to the iPod.
I would like to talk with you in more detail, as I have been doing music a large portion of my life, about the progress music has played a role in your mom's life. Hope you respond. Nice work on the video.
Danny
His mother doesn't look that old! So sad to see ur parent like a child. My g mother had this terrible disease. God bless u! 😢
What a beautiful story. Your mom has such a beautiful smile. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family
Thank you so much Trish.
This touched my heart.. Your mom is so sweet.. Thank you for sharing this! God bless you 🙏✨
wow, that is absolutley unbelievable.
This so wonderful! Keep up the great work.
Beautiful video. I love that song, too! This will bring comfort and hope to many, many people. Thank you for making the effort to create and share this. Blessings on you and your parents.
This is so so beautiful and emotional too. Thanks for uploading. It motivates me to work harder towards my goal of music healing for old age people. Music is Magical.....with an immense power. Atleast it makes her Happy....
this is truly beautiful and inspiring. thank you for sharing this!
Wow this is so wonderful it makes me cry! Thank you for this informational video, my father was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's and this brings hope to me as we walk through this disease. What an inspirational video
you are such a sweet child. you remind me of my sons.
Though this video is a few years old, it is very touching to my heart..Thank You
Dave Roth, This is an amazing video! Thank you for sharing this. I am hoping to begin studing to become a music therapist in the next year or two. This was very inspiring to see. If anything this makes me want to be become a music therapist even more. thanks again!
Amazing! ❤️
This is great !
Wonderful video. Thank you for sharing. Very inspirational.
Thankyou for sharing this inspirational video.
music is glue for the soul
Beautiful.
Immensely moving!
I am already planning for recordings of Kingston Trio - Peter, Paul and Mary - Billy Joel and Simon and Garfunkle - they are all coming with me - No elevator music for me!!!
Very touching.
I hope this helps, as my dad has been diagnosed a year ago. Keep us updated.
Thank you! :)
David,
AMAZING!!!!!
{{{{hugs}}}}
OMG, I love your Mum and Dad. That is so beautiful. You are a wonderful son. I am actually hosting a panel discussion in Sydney Austalia about 'Alive Inside' this weekend. We have neuroscientists on board ane music therapists from Nordoff-Robbins.. no doubt you know them ... great video. your mum has a beautfiful voice.. you should sample it :) thanks for the share... x
+Siobhan Moylan Thank you Siobhan. Alive Inside was my great inspiration and the film director was kind enough to include a small clip from my video with my mom at the end of this great film.
Thank you so much Jake. Please take a look at "Video response to ALIVE INSIDE from Dave Roth" on youtube. It is a teaser for the documentary that inspired me. Dan Cohen's, social worker, work with iPods with the Alzheimer's community is so inspiring. Thanks Jake for continuing to spread the word. I am an Ambassador and lobbyist for the Alzheimer's Association. I am working with Rep. Carolyn Maloney in helping to affect change. Please reach out with any concerns and questions.
wow what a difference. where Have all the flowers gone?
Probably some OCD kicking in but "In The Mood" is a Glenn Miller chart. Great video though :)
Does it work from a stereo, and shutting off the TV, as well? Or with both on can you have conversations closer to the way it was before Alzheimer's ?
There are benefits no matter what sound source you use, but I have found that headphones are definitely the best. It blocks out all distractions and makes the music the primary focus.
Thank you. Has the positive reaction lasted longer and long with each use?
***** In the Democracy Now segment it is mentioned that headphones are ideal as they 'screen' other stimuli . A signature symptom of dementia is confusion from 'normal environmental stimuli'. People respond differently to overstimulation (e.g. anger, frustration, shutting down) therefore the isolation of stimuli to one source - headphones - is what works. It is not the same as playing ambient music in a room, nor is it the same as "group music therapy".
This is a beautiful video. Your mom's lucky to have you as a son. Also look up "Alzheimer's Doctors Taking Note of Coconut Oil - CBN.com" Good luck and wish your family the best.
Man, his hand must be all red and swollen..lol
Hi Aimee. My heart goes out to you. I just wrote some info on Jake's post. Take a look at the Alive Inside video. It's a amazing how this music project reaches those with this disease. Please reach out to me if you would like more info in making this happen for your dad. malletdave@gmail.com My thoughts go out to you and your entire family.
I'd like to note that Music & Memory is NOT, by definition, "Music Therapy." Please change the title of your video to not misrepresent the profession of music therapy. (see www.musictherapy.org for information about music therapy, training requirements, and scope of practice)
The beauty of this video is that YOU ARE PRESENT WITH HER, and therefore, as a familiar and trusted person, the experience of music can be absolutely wonderful and life enriching for your mother. This is sadly not consistently the case with volunteers working for M & M. I honor your efforts at reaching and connecting with your mother as you so carefully have done in this video.
Well as I lost my father to Alzheimer's just 4 days ago, I will delay my response to you until I can reply in a more unemotional and thoughtful manner. I will say that your approach does need a little more tact and I sincerely hope this isn't a display of your professional approach to those that you attempt to care for. More at a later date...
My condolences to you and your family. I'll look forward to further dialogue at a later date.
Dave, I am writing in response to this video advocacy via my identity as a Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC), clinician and professor. What Dan Cohen and the folks at Music & Memory have not bothered to share with anyone, let alone you it seems, is the great potential for harm that music listening programs like this can cause older adults with dementias, and which can be manifested in many ways. First, older adults with dementias lack, in many cases, the personal agency and communicative ability to say "no" to having headphones placed on their heads. This can be an extreme invasion of one's personal world, yes? No one should be subjected to auditory stimuli that is or that becomes unwanted. Imagine yourself in this vulnerable position-- it is quite disturbing to consider how that might feel. Older adults with dementias often cannot indicate their distress due to overstimulation from volume or from overly intense or richly orchestrated musical materials, even if it is a preferred piece of music. More significantly-- and based on a conversation that I had with Dan Cohen-- musically elicited memories are NOT always sweet and comforting! In contrast to Music & Memory advertising, the "deep memories" that music can elicit are NOT always about sunshine and roses! As human beings of an advanced age, the potential for having experienced severe traumas and seriously painful events in ones life that can very easily be stirred by music is simply not accounted for in M & M-- and that, to me, is an ethical issue of great magnitude. The "training" provided to volunteers is, in my estimation, woefully inadequate for dealing with psychological abreactions (i.e., negative responses to music) that can easily occur, potentially re-traumatizing extremely vulnerable individuals. I have been made aware, by music therapists who have to be involved in M & M at their facilities, episodes wherein residents are regularly left alone with their headphones on, without their emotional reactions not monitored. How dreadful to be alone and vulnerable to one's difficult feelings, memories, and/or images without the ability to stop the intruding stimulus. I've also learned from a nursing facility administrator that headphones are often essentially used as a form of restraint (i.e., behavior control)-- far from the life enriching experience that M & M espouses for everyone involved! The potential for psychological harm is undoubtedly present in these cases, but Dan seems unwilling to accept this truth, likely because it threatens the "business" that M & M has become (in contrast to the altruistic endeavor that was undoubtedly his original intent).
There are serious ethical issues here that I implore you to challenge Dan and his leadership team to address-- many that I can articulate in another comment. It seems that, given the representation of marketing experts on the leadership team, M & M's primary focus is marketing the program-- expanding the numbers, rather than ensuring the ethical treatment of some of the most vulnerable people in our society, folks who deserve careful attention to the safety and efficacy of any "intervention" imposed on them.
Thank you, Dave-- Please act to push M & M to function in a positive and ethically sound manner for the good of these lovely, vulnerable people.
Jim Hiller, PhD, MT-BC