Music and Dementia

This is a very interesting and personal topic to me, as my mom has had Alzheimer's for many years and I noted years ago that music had a beneficial effect on her. What makes it more interesting is that although most of her memory is gone, she still can partially sing, or at least recognize, words to songs that she knew. It is one of the few remnants of her reality that is compelling and genuine.

This should come as no surprise, as my ex-schoolteacher fiancé keeps reminding me, children learn the alphabet by song. Then there are the music clichés such as "music soothes the savage beast." There is something intrinsic about music that is truly universal.

Researchers at Brown University reported on the first national study that compared nursing homes that adopted a program called Music and Memory to those that did not implement the program. The study included more than 25,000 residents in 196 nursing homes.

The study found that residents with dementia became significantly more likely to discontinue anti-psychotic and anti-anxiety medications, and significantly less likely to engage in disruptive behaviors when exposed to the Music and Memory programs. The study did not identify a significant improvement in mood (I find this rather strange. Maybe the researchers did not know how to thoroughly check for moods).

"The study's findings reinforced personal reports among caregivers and family, including those presented in the documentary "Alive Inside," suggesting that personalized music helps patients even when their dementia is highly advanced."

The study was authored by Kali S. Thomas et al in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (2017).

antipsychotic and antianxiety medications and significantly less likely to engage in disruptive behaviors,

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-05-personalized-music-nursing-home-residents.html#jCp

residents with dementia became significantly more likely to discontinue antipsychotic and antianxiety medications and significantly less likely to engage in disruptive behaviors

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-05-personalized-music-nursing-home-residents.html#jCp

residents with dementia became significantly more likely to discontinue antipsychotic and antianxiety medications and significantly less likely to engage in disruptive behaviors

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-05-personalized-music-nursing-home-residents.html#jCp

 

residents with dementia became significantly more likely to discontinue antipsychotic and antianxiety medications and significantly less likely to engage in disruptive behaviors

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-05-personalized-music-nursing-home-residents.html#jCp

residents with dementia became significantly more likely to discontinue antipsychotic and antianxiety medications and significantly less likely to engage in disruptive behaviors

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-05-personalized-music-nursing-home-residents.html#jCp

the first national study to compare key outcomes in homes that implemented an individualized music program called MUSIC & MEMORY

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-05-personalized-music-nursing-home-residents.html#jCp

the first national study to compare key outcomes in homes that implemented an individualized music program called MUSIC & MEMORY

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-05-personalized-music-nursing-home-residents.html#jCp

the first national study to compare key outcomes in homes that implemented an individualized music program called MUSIC & MEMORY

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-05-personalized-music-nursing-home-residents.html#jCp