Northwestern Memorial News Blog

Twice a month a jam session takes place on the third floor of Northwestern Memorial’s Prentice Women’s Hospital. A diverse group of men and women, ranging in age and ethnicity, gather in a circle with instruments in hand and sing together. This is no ordinary jam band; all its members are impacted by a neurodegenerative disease. They are participating in creative arts therapy which is offered through Northwestern’s Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center.

Initially launched exclusively for people with Parkinson’s, creative arts therapy has since expanded to include people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease through the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center. Caregivers are also encouraged to participate in the bi-weekly therapy session. The class combines music and art therapy to help patients address the physical and emotional components of their illness. In the past, drama therapy was also integrated into the program.