Vera is the trusted music companion for people living with dementia. It is an AI-powered wellness platform that uses the right music for their mind to help ease or slow down the effects of brain ageing.
Music is an incredible stimulant for the brain; there is no better “brain workout” than playing songs that we connect with. Music, in general, can also help relieve stress, increase our mood and motor skills, as well as help us remember and connect to memories.
Vera harnesses this power of music into three distinct music stations - Relax, Energise, and Reminisce - which are unique to every single Vera member. Playing a Vera music station in day-to-day life helps empower the activity of that station, and is incredibly beneficial for the listener’s overall health and wellbeing.
Who is it for?
Vera is for those caring for someone experiencing the effects of cognitive decline, such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Vera empowers the carer by being a tool to which they can help bring enjoyment and connection back into their relationship with their loved one, while simultaneously stimulating the brain of the listener, helping their overall cognitive function and improving their quality of life.
As a preventative tool, Vera can also be used for those individuals aged 60+ who wish to take charge of their own brain health and wellbeing by listening to music to stave off the effects of cognitive decline for as long as possible.
What is Brain Ageing?
Our bodies change in noticeable ways as we age, like our hair turning grey or wrinkles in our skin. Less obvious are the changes happening in our brain.
These are just some of the many ways our brain changes as we grow older;
Certain parts of the brain shrink, especially those important to learning and other complex mental activities.
In certain brain regions, communication between neurons (nerve cells) may not be as effective.
Blood flow in the brain may decrease.
Inflammation, which occurs when the body responds to an injury or disease, may increase.
It takes longer to find words and recall names.
Multitasking becomes more difficult.
The ability to pay attention mildly decreases.
Brain ageing happens to all of us and starts to accelerate from around the age of 60. While this is entirely normal, there are many ways to ensure that this brain ageing occurs at a rate that doesn’t drastically impact a person’s life in any negative way.
When left unchecked, brain ageing can lead to more severe symptoms associated with Dementia. What a lot of people don’t know, is that the onset of Dementia can in some cases be reduced, slowed down, or even prevented.
This is in part influenced by the choices we make to live a healthy and happy lifestyle.
How does Vera fit into this?
A healthy balanced diet, good sleep, and physical exertion are all ways to help keep the brain stimulated and active. Another incredible tool is social interaction and conversations with both friends and strangers. Even still, the most powerful natural stimulant we know of is music!
We would argue that listening to music is also one of the most enjoyable ways to help keep the brain activated!
What does the right music do to the brain?
Unlike any other stimulant, participating in or listening to the right type of music is the only stimulant that activates all the areas of the brain that we know about, all at the same time. Listening to the right music is quite literally a brain workout!
If someone cannot play an instrument, listening to music is the next best thing, and with Vera, we make it extremely easy to enjoy the right music for each listener’s unique brain.
Here are some of the direct positive effects listening to the right music can have;
Increased blood flow to the brain.
Increased neural activity between different areas of the brain
Improvement in short term memory
Long term memory recall
Better information retention
Increased focus and concentration
A person’s music taste and what works for their brain are entirely unique and are formed by their life experiences. Vera has analysed millions of songs to pinpoint the types of songs that will help the brain stay stimulated.
These songs are split into three main music stations: relax, reminisce or energise and provide the listener with the right songs to help keep their brain stimulated while they enjoy the right music for their mood.
With Vera we’ve made it as easy as possible for listeners to enjoy the right music that works for their brains to provide the maximum benefits. Schedule a demo with our team to find out more!