Fairhope Library to Screen ‘Alive Inside’ Dementia Documentary Free on Dec. 4

A familiar song can sometimes reach a person living with dementia when conversation no longer does. That is the idea behind “Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory,” a documentary coming to the Fairhope Public Library on Friday, Dec. 4, for a free Lunch and Learn screening and community discussion.

The screening will run from noon to 2 p.m. in the library’s Giddens Conference Center at 501 E. Fairhope Ave. The Fairhope Public Library is presenting the event, with Unity on the Eastern Shore and Eastern Shore Healthy Community as co-sponsors. Admission is free.

Organizers are inviting caregivers, health care professionals, family members, friends and anyone who wants to understand dementia better. They hope the film will help people see dementia care through a different lens, one that sees the person beyond the diagnosis.

Event at a Glance

• What: Lunch and Learn screening of “Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory,” followed by a discussion
• When: Friday, Dec. 4, noon to 2 p.m.
• Where: Giddens Conference Center, Fairhope Public Library, 501 E. Fairhope Ave., Fairhope
• Cost: Free
• Presented by: Fairhope Public Library
• Co-sponsors: Unity on the Eastern Shore and Eastern Shore Healthy Community
• Who should attend: Caregivers, health care workers, family members, friends and anyone interested in dementia

About the Film

“Alive Inside” looks at the links among music, memory, identity and human connection, with a focus on people living with dementia. It shows how hearing familiar songs can help some people reconnect with parts of themselves and with the people around them, even after memory loss has made everyday communication difficult.

The documentary premiered in 2014 and won the audience award for U.S. documentaries at that year’s Sundance Film Festival. It follows social worker Dan Cohen, founder of the nonprofit Music & Memory, as he brings personalized music playlists to residents of nursing homes. Its best-known scenes show residents who had been withdrawn or largely unresponsive come alive when they hear music from their youth. They sing along, move to the beat and sometimes talk about memories that seemed lost.

The film does not claim music cures dementia. Its message is that a person’s ability to feel, connect and experience joy can outlast many of the memories the disease takes away, and that caregivers and care facilities can tap into that ability in simple, inexpensive ways.

Why the Topic Matters

The film’s subject affects a great many American families. In 2026, more than 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia. Nearly 13 million Americans provide unpaid care for someone with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. That care has financial and emotional costs that reach families, caregivers and whole communities.

Behind those numbers are mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, and longtime friends. Their memories may fade, but their capacity to connect, to feel and to experience joy can remain. The screening is built around that perspective, and organizers hope it will encourage people to think about what is still possible for those living with dementia.

In Alabama, the Alzheimer’s Association estimates that more than 100,000 people age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Most dementia care in the United States is provided by unpaid family members and friends. Many of them say they feel stressed, worn out and isolated.

A Conversation After the Credits

A discussion will follow the screening. It will cover the film and the role music can play in preserving connection and quality of life for people living with dementia. That gives attendees a chance to share their own experiences, ask questions and hear how others are using music in caregiving at home or in care settings.

For a family caregiver, a professional or someone who has just learned that a loved one has dementia, the conversation may offer practical ideas as well as reassurance that they are not facing these challenges alone.

How Music Can Help at Home

Families do not need special equipment to start using music. Dementia care organizations commonly suggest a few simple practices:

• Make it personal. Choose songs the person loved, especially music from their teens and young adult years. Those songs are often the most strongly tied to memory and emotion.
• Ask around. Siblings, old friends and longtime church members can often remember favorite hymns, dance songs or artists that a spouse or child may not know.
• Watch the response. Pay attention to which songs bring smiles, singing or tapping feet, and which seem to cause agitation. Adjust the playlist to match.
• Keep the setting calm. Turn off the television and other background noise so the music is easy to hear.
• Use music for routines. Upbeat songs can help with getting dressed or moving around, and softer music can help ease the way toward rest.
• Join in. Singing, clapping or simply listening together can turn music into a shared moment instead of a solo activity.

Music is not a substitute for medical care. Families with questions about symptoms, medications or changes in behavior should talk with the person’s doctor.

Support for Eastern Shore Caregivers

The screening is one of several resources for dementia caregivers on the Eastern Shore. In Fairhope, the volunteer-run respite program Shepherd’s Place offers adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive challenges a structured social day out. Sessions run Monday through Thursday at Fairhope United Methodist Church, and music is among the activities offered. The program gives primary caregivers a regular four-hour break.

Caregivers can also find information and support through the Alzheimer’s Association, which runs a 24-hour helpline, and through their local Area Agency on Aging, which can point families to respite services, caregiver training and other help.

Who Is Behind the Event

The Fairhope Public Library regularly hosts community programs in its Giddens Conference Center. Unity on the Eastern Shore and Eastern Shore Healthy Community are co-sponsoring the screening. Together, the three organizations hope to start a community conversation about dementia that focuses on dignity, connection and what still remains for the person, not only on what has been lost.

The screening is free and open to the community. For more details, contact the Fairhope Public Library.