Effects Of Music Therapy On Dementia

731 Words2 Pages

##**Can music therapy help treat dementia?**

Dementia cannot be categorized as a specific disease—it's rather a set of symptoms caused by various conditions from memory loss to poor judgment. Dementia is common in older individuals. However, it may occur in young adults and children due to rare conditions. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia with more than five million Americans suffering from it. There is no cure for Alzheimer's, but symptoms and quality of life of the patients can be improved with treatments. In particular, non-drug therapies are preferred as they have no side effects. And, music therapy is one of the treatments popular with doctors and caretakers.

###**A cure for the soul**

The music touches our souls …show more content…

Essentially, a professional trainer is required to create a personalized playlist to cater individual needs. But hiring an expert is not for everyone. In that case, caretakers or immediate family members could help with providing the preferred music. If you have a loved one suffering from dementia, then fear not: music therapy is your knight in shining armor. If you want to take the leap and help someone suffering from dementia, here are some of the do's and don'ts.

_Do's_

+ Select music that the patient enjoys.
+ Choose music for the mood. For example, choose soft music for bedtime; a peppy song may invoke the memory of good times.
+ Encourage clapping and moving.
+ Sing along, hum, and join the fun.

_Don'ts_

+ Stop the music if it evokes a negative emotion or distress.
+ Avoid over stimulation by playing the music at an optimal volume.
+ Keep the session distraction free, without commercials or outdoor noise.

Music therapy is not necessarily a cure for dementia but the latest studies show that it is one of the indispensable tools to provide comfort and improve cognition in the patients. Go ahead, play your loved one's favorite music—and don't shy away from shaking your legs to the tune—because music not only touches the patient's heart but opens his mind

Show More
Related

  • Dementia Effects the Elderly and Their Caregivers

    718 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dementia is common among a large population of elderly people. The disease affects not only the individual diagnosed, but also the caregivers that work towards making their life comfortable in the end. Understanding and learning about the disease is crucial in helping those that experience or live with someone who has dementia. The services and support that are currently in affect for elderly people with dementia and the caregivers is poor, and ineffective because of the lack of research and information on the topic.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Alive Inside A Story Of Music And Memory

    1208 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sacks adds that “It’s not just a physiological reaction. The parts of the brain that remember music and respond to music are not affected too much in Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia.” Music being able to elicit emotions and are connected to past events, which allow those affected with Alzheimer’s to unlock those hidden memories.

    Read More

  • Alzheimer Case Study

    1431 Words  | 3 Pages

    Alzheimer is a dementia type of disease named after Dr. Alois alzheimer that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills,and eventually , the ability to do simple things, or recognize their family. The first case occurred in the 1906 when a woman died on a unusual mental illness. After she died Dr.Alois examined her brain , amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary. Alzheimer’s is in older people the most common cause of dementia. Dementia is a loss of remembering ,thinking and reasoning skills, that intervenes with your daily life and activities. It is very common in people over sixty years of age. People younger than sixty years can also

    Read More

  • Allie Hamilton Case Study

    739 Words  | 2 Pages

    Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time. It can become severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. Allie Hamilton is suffering from dementia.

    Read More

  • Dementia Essay

    1654 Words  | 4 Pages

    Contrary to common belief, Dementia is not a disease, it is a term that encompasses a collection of symptoms. These symptoms are associated with numerous diseases that involve the impairment of cognitive functions (DoH, 2013).

    Read More

  • Music Affecting the Memory of Alzheimer’s Patients

    1074 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sambandham, (1995). Music as a nursing intervention for residents with alzheimer's disease in long-term care. Geriatric Nursing (New York, N.Y.), 16(2), 79-83. doi:10.1016/S0197-4572(05)80011-4

    Read More

  • How It Works: Music Therapy

    2178 Words  | 5 Pages

    “I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music” (Billy Joel). Although most listeners may not have the same technical experience in music as Billy Joel, it is easy enough to see the effect it has in a person's every day life. Music has the ability to pick us up when we are down, carry you back in time to a cherished memory, and transform silence into a symphony that can move one to tears. Music therapy is simply an application of the life that music creates.

    Read More

  • Interprofessional Evidence-Based Practice

    919 Words  | 2 Pages

    The participants were recruited based on the qualifications of being older than 65 years, scoring 0.5-1 on the Clinical Dementia Rating scale, and a primary caregiver willing to volunteer in the study (Cheung, Ho, Lai, Lai, & Wong, 2015). Staff for the study, consisting of social workers and occupational therapists, were recruited by posters (Cheung et al., 2015). The staff took a training course and all came up with a protocol for the music-with-movement intervention, with the aims to promote the wellbeing of people with dementia, and also their primary caregiver. A music therapist constructed various songs for specific activities for the people with dementia to engage in with their

    Read More

  • Dementia And Music Therapy

    984 Words  | 2 Pages

    The word dementia is often used as an umbrella term to describe a wide range of symptoms. Dementia is commonly used to describe those with a decline in mental abilities that potentially interferes with their everyday life. This is common in older adults and may develop gradually or even appear suddenly. It is also important to note that, “dementia is more prevalent in older adults with the rate doubling about every 5 years after the age of 75 (Erber,2005; Papalia et al.,1996)” (Davis, Gfeller, & Thaut, 2008). Dementia not only affects the person who is diagnosed with it but also family and friends. Those who have dementia may have a hard time communicating effectively and that can add stress to those close to them. With regards to that, music therapy can be a great way to maintain mental abilities of those with dementia and help families communicate better with their loved one.

    Read More

  • Cyp 3.3 4.1

    1451 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dementia is a long-term condition that normally affects people aged 65 and over, younger people can be affected. Having dementia can cause loss of key functions to the brain, such as; loss of memory; confusion; speech and language problems; loss of ability to make judgements; loss of concentration; difficulty in processing information; changes in behaviour and personality. These all lead to a person not been able to function properly. The person’s ability to function deteriorates over a period of time and is usually at least 6 months before positive diagnosis of dementia can be made. Dementia is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases such as Alzheimer’s which is the most common of dementia, vascular which is a series of mini strokes,

    Read More

  • Music And Therapy: The Importance Of Music Therapy

    1116 Words  | 3 Pages

    Music is everywhere we go; we listen to it in the car, while doing work, and there are even people who pay to listen or watch an artist perform live. Yes, life goes on without music, but music has such an impact on our lives. Life is a rollercoaster of emotions and we have music to fit our emotions to be just as we feel. Music has a great deal of importance of many people. It can have a meaning that they cannot explain to others and are able to connect with the song. By doing so experts are able to help patients overcome many sicknesses with the help of music. Music therapy is capable of being an advantage for many individual patients, it can encourage responses from patients that other methods of therapy cannot get from them. Also, it improves the patients in distinctive ways other than for an illness.

    Read More

  • Negative Effects Of Dementia

    1664 Words  | 4 Pages

    Dementia is a disease effecting nearly thirty-six million people worldwide (Whiteman, 2014). Even with so many elderly suffering from the disease, there are many people who don’t know what dementia truly is. People often jump too quickly to the conclusion that dementia is a disease that only effects the memory. They may believe that dementia is inevitable and cannot be cured in any case. They may also believe that dementia is something the majority of elderly will experience when they get older.

    Read More

  • Essay On Dementia Music Therapy

    856 Words  | 2 Pages

    To begin with, music can be therapeutic and relaxing. Those with dementia are often in hospitals or nursing homes and often go through the same routine everyday. Music can be a diversion to those struggles and repetitive routines that they have to face and instead help them focus on something that can bring happiness and enjoyment into their lives. Not to mention, “a number of studies have concluded that music interventions, such as music listening or group music therapy sessions, were associated with reduced agitation in persons with dementia (Groene, 1993; Clark et al., 1998; Gerdner, 2000; Sung et al., 2006; Janata, 2012)” (Johnson & Chow, 2015). Music therapy can be a way for these patients to release stress and anger that they otherwise may take out on their caregivers. Additionally, “sound and music have also been shown to achieve clear effects on vital parameters like blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and heart rate variability” (Raglio,Filippi, Bellandi, & Stramba-Badiale, 2014). Just like an upbeat song can increase blood pressure and increase the heart rate, a calm song and decrease blood pressure and decrease the heart rate. The examples given are just a short list of what music has to offer when it comes to those with dementia it also has the ability to meet social, psychological, and cognitive goals, as

    Read More

  • Evidence Based Practice: Qualitative And Quantitative Research

    1144 Words  | 3 Pages

    A qualitative study was conducted using focus groups that was formed of patients, carers, staff and families. This helped develop insights into the musical experiences of people with dementia and explore the meaning of music within their lives (McDermott et al, 2013). The results signified that the accessibility of music for people at all stages of dementia has close links with music, personal identity and life events. It also highlighted the importance of relationship building through music as valuable tool. The evidence concludes that the effects of music reduce behavioural and psychological symptoms and that sustaining

    Read More

  • How Music Affects Our Mood

    951 Words  | 2 Pages

    Has a song ever came on the radio and it brings back memories of a certain day, place or time? Different genres can set people’s moods in different ways. For example, pop music can make people feel happy and pumped up, where jazz and classical music can make them relax. All genres of music can bring back memories and moods. When listening to music people’s hearts actually begin to sync with the rhythm and set their mood.

    Read More

More about Effects Of Music Therapy On Dementia

Open Document