Intuitively we know that listening to our favorite music, whether it be a smooth jazz, rock, or bluegrass, can reduce our stress and boost our mood. But the power of music, and its effect on our brains, our bodies and our overall well-being, involves so much more.
Music stimulates creativity and imagination, helps improve memory, reduces anxiety, increases motivation, and has been effective in treating depression.
Brain scan images show that listening to music changes and modulates the neurochemicals in various regions of our brains, even those areas that aren’t involved in auditory processing.
With continued research, science is finding out more about the role music has played throughout history and how it has actually helped to shape the evolution and development of humankind.
Continue reading
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Music at Pennhurst
by
J. Gregory Pirmann
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Music played a large role at Pennhurst State School and Hospital, both within the facility and as part of its public face. The Pennhurst band marched in local parades and frequently gave concerts in the local community.
Musical training was provided to the “inmates” who could participate, from the opening of the institution. The ensemble photographs in this article were included in the Board of Trustee's Report for 1922, and the chief physician noted in his portion of the 1916 report,
"There is nothing which appeals more to feeble-minded children than music....
The band of twenty pieces, under the direction of an experienced instructor, has shown improvement during the past year far beyond the most sanguine expectation. These boys furnish music for the entertainments, dances and other social affairs."
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Support for Parents
Parents and caregivers are invited to find support with two new groups in Chester County, one in Coatesville and one in Kimberton. Both groups are free and open to the community.
Kaleidoscope Family Solutions in Coatesville is hosting their next meeting on Wednesday, July 18 from 7:00 until 8:30 PM at Highlands Corporate Center, 495 Highlands Blvd, Suite 106. This meeting will focus on the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and successful navigation of the OVR referral and transition process. Please RSVP to Pam Frebowitz at
pfrebowitz@kfamilysolutions.org
or call 215-681-0172.
St. Basil the Great Parish in Kimberton started a support group,
Parents of Special Needs Children,
which meets every third Tuesday of the month from 7:00 - 8:00 PM at the Parish Life Center (formerly the elementary school).
The purpose of the group is to provide emotional and spiritual support to parents who are raising children with different needs. The group is open to all religions. Contact Jim King at St. Basil the Great Parish,
dre@stbasils.org
or call 610-935-1261.
If you know of other similar parent support groups that are open to the community at no cost in Chester County, please contact us at
this link
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New Treatment for Autism + ADHD from
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
A digital medicine company, Akili Interactive Labs, in partnership with CHOP's Center for Autism Research (CAR), has conducted a pilot study, with promising results to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a new treatment using a video game-like environment.
Read more at CAR's blog
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What's your vision of a good life?
We all want to live a good life. We all want to live, love, work, play and pursue our dreams.
Charting the LifeCourse is a framework to help individuals and families of all abilities and all ages develop a vision for a good life and then develop a plan to make it happen. The LifeCourse toolkit is available at no cost online.
Darcy Elks, Family Advisor with the PA Family Network, is available to meet with families and individuals charting their LifeCourse. Contact her at
darcyelks@aol.com
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Resources, Training, Opportunities
The PEAL Center
is a one-stop resource for disability information and referral in PA.
Refer Web
- Chester County's source for human services
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Check out a New App for Wheelchair Accessible Transit Routes
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Chester County Department of Mental Health / Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
601 Westtown Road, West Chester, PA
Chester County Commissioners
Administrator: Linda Cox
Deputy Administrator: Bridget Thrash
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