Music therapy for dementia

Dementia is a broad category of disorders that impact a person’s ability to remember, reason, and communicate with others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source describes dementia as an umbrella term for several disorders that impact memory, thinking, and decision-making.

Dementia is often progressive, and it can become harder for people with dementia to communicate and interact with those around them.

Some areas of difficulty for people with dementia include social engagement and communication. This can put a certain level of strain on their relationships with their caregivers.

But a recent study published in Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders found that utilizing a specific form of music therapy helped improve social engagement among people with dementia and their caregivers. The intervention also lowered caregiver distress.

Medications and lifestyle interventions may help individuals with dementia manage their symptoms.

Recent research is also focusing on non-pharmacological interventions like music therapy that can benefit people with dementia.

Music therapy involves using music to help improve mood and promote well-being. And research is ongoing about the overall impact of music therapy on people with dementia.

Music therapist Scott Horowitz, LPC, a licensed professional counselorand clinical assistant professor in the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University, not involved in the study, explained to MNT. Dr. Bethany Cook, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and board certified music therapist, not involved in the study, shared how music therapy benefits people with dementia and their loved ones:

“It’s important to note that the best music to use are songs that the person with dementia used to listen to and love when they were [ages] 7ish to mid-20s,” Cook told MNT.

“These foundational memories and songs are locked together in deeper vaults down windy mountain roads that dementia doesn’t seem to be able to fully crush. I’ve seen a person not recognize their spouse of 65 years but when I play their wedding song this individual turns to their spouse and they recognize them and dance.”

Horowitz explained that taking into account personal preferences is a critical component of music therapy:

“The most impactful music is the client-preferred music. There’s also a lot of subjectivity to how we experience music. So the music that one person finds relaxing might actually be activating to another person — their memories are attached to the music that they’ve experienced.

The intervention included training for caregivers, live 45-minute concerts, and breakout sessions following the concerts. Music therapists encouraged interaction during the concerts and facilitated follow-up in the breakout sessions. Researchers then conducted follow-up assessments using a neuropsychiatric symptoms questionnaire, evaluating behaviors, and getting feedback from caregivers.

Among the intervention group, there were better forms of nonverbal sociable behaviors when compared to the control group. For example, participants with dementia demonstrated eye contact with caregivers, interest, focus, and calmness.

Caregivers further reported decreased levels of stress regarding the symptoms of their loved ones. Caregivers also noted that the program helped them connect with their loved ones and improve the quality of their relationships.

Medical News Today