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The Star
2 days ago
- Health
- The Star
How music can improve seniors' days
When I'm feeling low, I blast some Journey or George Thorogood. Don't Stop Believin' and Bad to the Bone always give me an instant boost. Music has always been a mood-lifter, a social glue, and even a sneaky form of exercise (especially if you like to sing or dance along). Lately, researchers have been digging deeper into what music can do for us as we age. We examine whether music can truly boost memory, sharpen thinking, help chase off the blues and perhaps even combat diseases like dementia, and how you might incorporate music into your life. What the science says In 2024 Dr Alfredo Raglio at the Scientific Institute of Pavia Maugeri, Italy led a team of researchers who analysed 28 studies examining whether music-based activities help older adults experiencing mild memory and thinking challenges, or early-stage dementia. The 28 studies included 1,612 participants, aged 69 to 85 years. The overall results showed regular musical activities, whether it is singing, playing an instrument, or dancing is helpful for keeping the mind active and working well. The scientists also recommended daily music activities for slowing down the progress of diseases like dementia. However, some of the studies were not well designed. They did not have control groups or they didn't do well in evaluating their data for other factors. This makes it hard to tell whether it is the music that is useful or whether it's the social connection or even the physical activity. It may be all of those things together. Malaysia's practical suggestion In 2019, researchers from Universiti Malaya led by Dr S J Liao, ran an excellent small randomised trial with 112 older adults that examined the effect of Tai Chi with music on older folks. Participants lived in the community, not a care home, and had mild to moderate scores of depression. Of these 57 were randomly assigned to the Tai Chi with music group and the other 55 were in the control group. Data was collected at the start and then every month for three months. The researchers found that those in the Tai Chi with music group showed significant improvements for physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships, and also environmental impact, meaning feelings of safety and comfort. The good news is that the results were large enough to suggest that Tai Chi with music can significantly improve both mental and physical well-being in older adults – even if they have depression. Make music work for you Tai chi in the park: Tai Chi is fabulous as it combines slow, flowing movements, breathing techniques, and meditation allowing you to stretch, build strength and promote calm too. There are Tai Chi groups in many parks, so just ask around. Bonus: it's a super low-cost activity! Go for karaoke: Gather a group of friends, and go sing old songs together. Many karaoke chains cater for the night crowd, so they offer super cheap rates for seniors who come in the afternoons before 5pm. Some even include free-flow drinks and desserts! Community singing and dancing: Local council community halls are open to anyone, so you can go with friends, meet new people or both. Community halls are super affordable. For instance, the Penang Hawkers Association singing centre on Jalan Irrawadi, George Town, (open Thursday to Sunday) costs just RM3 per visit or RM10 for a month's subscription. Master an instrument: If you used to play as a child but gave it up, you can dust off your old guitar, flute or violin and find a community music group. These play for fun and often include affordable tutoring options too. If you've never played but always longed to let out your inner Jimi Hendrix or Mitsuko Uchida, check out music schools and local music shops. Some rent out musical instruments and provide affordable lessons for small classes tailored for seniors. Gamelan Groups: The unique music from traditional gongs and drums graces our festivals and thanks to teachers working at NGOs, cultural organisations, universities and community centres the public can learn to play too. These groups typically provide the instruments but fees are usually subsidised. Plus, you may be invited to play at weddings and formal occasions! Yangqin Groups: If you play the Guzheng, or Chinese zither, check out Chinese temples, NGOs, cultural organisations, and music schools for get-togethers. If you don't play or need refresher classes, these organise affordable lessons. The beauty of it is that there are also lessons online, so you can prep for a few weeks and then join a band. Bonus: you might play at weddings, Chinese New Year and other occasions. (Editor's note: You can also check out U3A ( to see what music classes are available.) Ellen Whyte is a British-registered counsellor and psychotherapist who has a soft spot for cats. She founded an online practice in 2016, and works with clients in 20+ countries. Email:
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2 ‘American Idol' contestants eliminated as Top 8 revealed: Who shined on ‘Ladies' Night'?
Tonight on American Idol, country superstar Miranda Lambert mentors the Top 10 contestants as they celebrate iconic women in music. Following feedback from judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan, America votes live for the Top 8. After the Top 10 perform, host Ryan Seacrest "dims the lights" as two hopefuls are eliminated. More from GoldDerby 'Next Level Chef' recap: One chef goes up in smoke in 'Bad to the Bone' meat challenge 'The witches will see you now!' 'Wicked' stars reunite on 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10' as guest judges 'Survivor 48' recap: Mary's 'weird-ass motley crew' plots a path against Joe's 'core four' Lambert will also hit the stage to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her platinum-selling album Kerosene. The Grammy winner marked the milestone with a special vinyl re-release of the two-decade-old album on April 25, featuring the previously unreleased track "I Don't Love Here Anymore." Lambert earned a nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for Kerosene's title track in 2007, but coincidentally lost to Carrie Underwood for "Jesus, Take the Wheel." That same year, Underwood also won Best New Artist, securing the first two of her eight career Grammys. The "Ladies' Night" episode of American Idol airs live coast-to-coast on Sunday, May 4 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). Follow along with our live blog below to see each performance. Plus, vote for your favorite in our poll once the entire Top 10 has performed! SEE 'American Idol' shocker: Filo is eliminated in the Top 12 after ironically singing 'I'm Not Going' 8 p.m. — Previously, on American Idol: The Top 10 finalists were announced on April 28 after celebrating "Iconic Idol Moments." Jamal Roberts ("Heal"), John Foster ("I Told You So"), and Gabby Samone ("A Song for You") won Gold Derby's poll as your favorite performers. Ché ("Dancing on My Own") and Filo ("And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going") were eliminated. John Foster Age: 18 Hometown: Addis, La. Performance: "Something to Talk About" by Bonnie Raitt Carrie's comments: "You are the one we have watched grow the most throughout this entire process. Every single time you step on the stage you feel more comfortable." Lionel's comments: N/A Luke's comments: "Your charisma meter is peaking off the charts right now." Kolbi Jordan Age: 26 Hometown: Tulsa, Okla. Performance: "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac Josh King Age: 24 Hometown: Charlotte, N.C. Performance: "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele Dim the lights! Based on America's vote, these two artists were eliminated on Sunday, May 4: SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Launch Gallery: 'American Idol' Season 23 cast: Meet the Top 24 finalists Best of GoldDerby 'The Masked Singer' spoilers: Who is Boogie Woogie? 'RuPaul's Drag Race' winners list: Every season, plus 'All Stars' Vote for 'Survivor 50': The 3 new questions center around design, survival, and strategy Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Best, Worst, and Most WTF Super Bowl Ads of 2025
A Big Game in the Big Easy calls for big commercials, and this year's roster delivered. From the snack brands (Lays and Taco Bell) to the streamers (Disney+), and a generous sprinkling of Matthew McConaugheys thrown in for good measure, here's our annual rundown of the cream of the crop to the cringe. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the most effective. Here we have the world's crankiest, frankest, and frankly coolest actor, Harrison Ford, with a humble soliloquy for our divided times. Sure, sometimes it seemed like a saccharine campaign speech ('Our differences can be our strength') but there was a lot to like. Jeep reportedly eschewed major creative agencies, with the folks behind its parent company Stellantis producing the spot all on their own. More from Rolling Stone Kendrick Lamar Scores a Hip-Hop Touchdown at Super Bowl 2025 Philadelphia Eagles Win Super Bowl 2025, Crushing Kansas City Chiefs Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson Watch an Alien Die in Super Bowl Totino's Ad Not all octogenarians made the grade last night. No offense to the adorable older women in his spot, but Weathertech opted for a tired trope. Grannies behaving badly has been the concept behind a litany of ads (including one just last year) as well as movies ranging from 80 for Brady to last year's Thelma. Extra points off for the most generic of backing tracks with 'Bad to the Bone,' too. Somehow, two separate creative agencies working on Super spots for major food brands had the same idea this year: flying facial hair. Kinda funny, kinda… gross? Last year, Dunkin' blessed us with 'Dunkings,' a cameo-drenched commercial as energetic as an extra-large iced coffee, hold the milk. For Super Bowl LIX, the caffeinated company again recruited its now-regular pitchman Ben Affleck for this spot that this time includes his brotha Casey and spoofs fellow Bostonian Jeremy Strong's penchant for Method acting. Our boys are wicked smaht. This straight-to-the-point Taco Bell spot goes down as easy as a Chalupa Supreme with extra sour cream. LeBron James and Doja Cat get laughs, but the real fun, as intended, is in the supercuts of actual Taco Bell customers (many of them photographed, apparently, at the drive-thru) that flash on the screen. Some of these folks even appear to be sober! Let's face it, much of the country probably doesn't know who the hell alt-comedy hero Tim Robinson is. But the SNL writer vet turned Netflix niche-comedy staple cameos in this fun ad for Totino's, armed with one of the funniest lines of the night. It was a tall order, considering actual SNL spins on Totino's grip on the games are just as memorable. Good on Totino's for leaning into the funny, for real, even if a lot of football fans might've been scratching their heads. See, it's Seal, the singer, as a seal, the animal. Changing the lyrics to one of his biggest hits, the sweeping romantic ballad 'Kiss From a Rose.' Do we get it? Yes. Do we like it? Not one bit. Creepy af. They're the kind of guys you wanna grab a beer with. Beer companies Stella Artois and Bud Light had similar ideas by pairing up beloved bro-lebrities for their respective ads. For Stella, Matt Damon and David Beckham joined forces to play long-separated brothers for a spot directed by Dun-king Ben Affleck. On the other end of the tap, Bud Light boasts Post Malone and scrapped SNL cast member turned bro-comedy star Shane Gillis for a fun spot which also features leaf blowers and Peyton Manning. Cheers to both brews. Lay's could have gone the typical route with a commercial full of celebrities and oodles of silliness. Instead, the powers that be at Frito-Lay decided to tug at America's heartstrings by taking the nation straight to the heartland. There might be plenty to root against off the field right now, but when it comes to the rolling fields of the farmers who work 10 times harder than the rest of us, there's no argument. if you weren't captivated by the passion of a little girl and her potato, then maybe you need to grow a bigger heart, Grinch-style. Deep beneath the abyss of Earth's crust lies a layer of stupidity that must gushed upwards to provide the inspiration for this Reeses' ad. The idea is that since the candy is now boasting a chocolate lava flavor, people are somehow now attracted to eating… actual lava? If you're trying to follow the logic, give up: there's none to be found. Football coaches are usually as stoic as they come. For evidence, look at any post- or pre-game interview with any sort of high school, college, or professional football coach in the history of the sport. They're men of few words, with blank stares and nary a gin. Let's put a smile on that face, courtesy Kansas City Chiefs chief Andy Reid, the beleaguered city's coach who not only shed the typical demeanor for similar folks of his ilk, but got downright silly. Good on you, Coach Reid. What would Nora Ephron have thought of this sequel to When Harry Met Sally? It was nice, if a little lame, to see Billy Crystal in his signature sweater, Meg Ryan doing her signature orgasm, and New York's landmark Katz's Deli back on our screens (with Sydney Sweeney bringing things into the modern era). America was also treated to the millionth sequel of the Fast and the Furious franchise in a spot for ice cream behemoth Häagen-Dazs. Now, a truly super feat would have been if star Vin Diesel squashed his beef with the Rock in this ad instead, but we'll take this witty spin on the franchise out for a joyride nonetheless. It's an ad that comes off like the equivalent of using ChatGPT for writing a term paper. For a company known for its ingenuity, Disney seemed to phone it in this year by spending their precious millions on a dull ad which imagines a universe without their iconic IP. Along the way, they zap their most familiar characters out of old footage in a gimmick Back to the Future did first and better 40 years ago. There's something inherently fun seeing some of America's most beloved brand mascots join forces. Maybe it's the kid in us. From one American acting icon to another, Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson had their own kind of bro rom-com going in these spots. From enjoying a cafe during a rainstorm to raising hell in Heathrow Airport, these two lovable movie stars reminded us that Salesforce… um… Well, we don't really know what Salesforce was selling here, but they were fun to watch nonetheless. Uber Eats ordered cameos, and they delivered! For their litany of Super Bowl ads that rolled out before and during LIX, the ride service's food-ordering platform trotted out a clown car's worth of names, including Charli XCX, Martha Stewart, Greta Gerwig, and, hey look, it's Matthew McConaughey again. Wait. Did all of our surge pricing fees go toward lining the pockets of some of America's favorite celebrities? Best of Rolling Stone Every Super Bowl Halftime Show, Ranked From Worst to Best The United States of Weed Gaming Levels Up
