Music and Memory: Music Therapy’s Benefits for Alzheimer’s Patients

Consider one of your favorite songs. What path does it lead you down? What emotions does it arouse?

Musical intervention provides therapeutic effects for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease because music elicits feelings and memories.

Musical therapies have been demonstrated to reduce agitation, improve communication, and improve caregiver relationships in patients.

Dementia is a broad word that refers to the loss of memory and cognitive ability that occurs as a result of a brain disease or injury. Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia, accounting for 60 percent to 70% of cases.

Music has been shown to aid with agitation and behavioral abnormalities, which are common in Alzheimer’s disease’s intermediate phases. Even in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease, a person may be able to tap a beat or sing the words to a favorite childhood song. Music allows people to connect even when verbal communication is difficult.

Individuals’ physical, psychological, cognitive, and social needs are addressed by professional music therapists. Each client’s needs and conditions are assessed by the music therapist, who then designs goals, objectives, and therapeutic treatment.  Singing, playing, moving to, creating, or listening to music may be used in these treatments. The therapist works with the client to improve their social, communicative, emotional, physical, and mental health and well-being.

You don’t have to be a music therapist to help Alzheimer’s patients enjoy music. Music experiences, such as concerts or other musical entertainment, are provided by caregivers. Seniors’ playlists can also be created by caregivers.

These playlists can be customized for a variety of purposes, including incentive and relaxation. They can also be utilized in personal care tasks such as feeding and dressing a person.   Or they may simply serve to awaken dormant memories.