92-Year-Old With Dementia Plays Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata

This woman’s memory might be slipping away because of her dementia, but she certainly hasn’t forgotten how to perform a classical piece of music … which is incredible to see.

This is Elaine Lebar — a 92-year-old with dementia. Check out this video of her masterfully playing the third movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” Right before she goes to town on the piano keys, she tells the camera girl that she doesn’t know it … clearly she does.

Apparently, music therapy is a common practice for those afflicted with the memory loss disease — not only can it help combat cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia in general … but scientists say whatever you know musically stays relatively preserved.

They say musical memories are stored in a part of the brain that remains, more or less, intact amid dementia … that jives with what we see here — almost like she has Beethoven’s music on file and ready to whip out whenever she’s at a piano. It’s like riding a bike, sorta.