"Alive Inside" tells a story of hope and beauty in a place where they are hard to find. Directed by Michael Rossato-Bennett, the film looks at the power music has to "awaken" the minds of seniors with Alzheimer’s and dementia living in nursing homes that have been considered closed.

Alzheimer’s disease is more prevalent among African-Americans than among whites — with estimates ranging from 14% to almost 100% higher. (The Alzheimer’s Association notes while the rates vary among studies, three out of four report these higher prevalence rates.)

Experts say the number of African-Americans entering the "age of risk" is also growing rapidly. The number of African-Americans age 65 and over will more than double by 2030, from 2.7 million in 1995 to 6.9 million by 2030, according the The Alzheimer’s Association. [PDF]

"Alive Inside" will premiere on April 18 at the Rubin Museum in New York.

The Music and Memory organization is soliciting donations of used and new iPods to put music in the hands of nursing home patients across the country. They’ll accept old, new, used, and even broken or damaged iPod players that their volunteers may be able to repair Their residents don’t mind a few case scratches or decals. Visit Musicandmemory.org/give-an-ipod.html for more information.