The Nocturnists

The Memory Disco with Kaylee Glenn (Crossover Episode with Remo Health)

The Nocturnist episode, in partnership with Remo Health, spotlights Kaylee Glenn, a young neuroscientist‑musician who founded the Dayby‑Day Project. Her nonprofit uses music‑based interventions—most famously the "Memory Disco"—to improve quality of life for people living with dementia and to support their families. Glenn describes how early experiences playing violin in a memory‑care facility revealed music’s power to reconnect non‑verbal patients. Building on that insight, she formalized a student organization at age 14, later expanding it into a university club and a national volunteer network. The program rests on three engagement pillars—rhythmic stimulation, physical touch, and community interaction—designed to shift participants from passive listening to active, embodied participation. A defining moment came during the pandemic when in‑person performances were limited. Glenn’s team pioneered a silent‑disco approach, delivering individualized headphone audio that allowed residents—even those with hearing loss—to dance together. She recounts 96‑year‑olds “dropping it like it’s hot,” illustrating how tailored playlists from listeners’ formative years (ages 10‑30) spark vivid memories and spontaneous movement. The model’s scalability is its most compelling feature: non‑musicians can volunteer, leveraging simple engagement techniques and technology to reach facilities nationwide. By democratizing music therapy, the Dayby‑Day Project offers a replicable, low‑cost solution that could reshape dementia care standards and influence policy on non‑pharmacologic interventions.