Dementia is one of the most heartbreaking diseases to have to live through, for the person diagnosed and for all family and friends. Slowly, over time, a dementia patient will lose all memory of their life and many times their personality changes as well. This is unbelievably hard for a person but also extremely hard for family and friends to have to watch that person slowly disappear in front of them. There are moments though when family and friends can clearly see a part of that person back.
For Margaret Mackie and her family it came through the power of music.
Margaret Mackie is an 83-year-old dementia patient living in a care facility in Scotland. Everyday she sings Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley with Jamie Lee Morley, a caregiver at her facility. Jamie was put in charge of the entertainment for the facility’s holiday party and he saw his moment!
“Last week we had a Christmas party for the residents and their families and the care home asked if I would do the singing as they know I am into that … I called Margaret up on stage, and she was right up there with me, I didn’t have to ask her twice,” said Jamie.
Margaret’s family was in attendance, so her daughter started filming the moment. Jamie and Margaret sang Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” Then an amazing moment happened, Margaret remembered and sang every word to the song with Jamie.
Jamie has said that she “sang and danced ever since she moved there last year, and she comes alive when she hears an Elvis or Frank Sinatra songs.” With this knowledge, Jamie was able to gift Margaret and her family such a special moment. As family knows with dementia patients, these moments of clarity do not last. When the moment has been brought up to Margaret in the care facility during the following days, she had already forgotten who Jamie is and that it had occurred.
The moment was not only special for Margaret and her family, it was special for Jamie Lee Morley as well. Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” was played at Jamie’s grandfather’s funeral the year prior. Jamie’s grandfather passed away from Alzheimer’s disease, which is a form of dementia.
“For those close to me will know this was my Grandad’s funeral song who our family sadly lost to Alzheimer’s last year. I’ve never really sang this song as it’s a classic but I knew how much Margaret and her family would love it.”
Jamie’s selfless act to give Margaret and her family this moment is amazing, but Jamie does not see himself in this moment at all and believes the moment belongs to Margaret. He stated on his Facebook post, “For her to get up on stage at her age and have so much courage and fight and sing so beautifully absolutely blew my mind.”
It was absolutely a beautiful moment that Margaret’s family can treasure forever. The lesson that Margaret has taught Jamie is a lesson everyone should live by, “Be more like Margaret and live each day to the full and sing your absolute hearts out.”
You can watch the beautiful moment between Margaret and Jamie below!
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