Challenging Alzheimer’s disease patient behaviors are becoming more and more common. Unfortunately, traditional management of patients with Alzheimer’s disease in nursing homes exhibiting inappropriate or challenging behaviors often results in physical or chemical restraint. Agitated behaviors often interfere with daily living, and according to Witzke, Rhone, Backhaus, and Shaver (2008), may escalate from restlessness, pacing, and disrobing to hitting, kicking, and yelling. Agitation is described as inappropriate verbal or motor activity unrelated to needs or confusion (Witzke, Rhone, Backhaus, & Shaver, 2008). These behaviors put a massive burden on the caregivers. A study by Kwak, Bae, and Jang (2013) revealed that agitation …show more content…
Music can be a backdoor into their mind and a melody or a beat can transport them somewhere; back to their past, a place, event, or a relationship, thus provoking a sentiment, stimulating a memory or a feeling (Morgan, 2015). Music therapy is easy to incorporate into daily care and is inexpensive compared to the use of pharmaceuticals. Music therapy is best done on an individual basis, so the use of headphones is important. The volume of the music should also be adjusted to the patient’s hearing ability, as this will help ensure the desired effect is reached. For a number of patients, the effects of the music continued after the music therapy had concluded. The responsiveness of patients with Alzheimer’s disease to music is a remarkable phenomenon. One possible explanation for preserved musical processing in patients with Alzheimer’s disease is that the areas of the brain associated with music cognition are preferentially spared. As asserted by Aldridge (1993), this may be because the fundamentals of language itself are musical. Music provides a form of therapy for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, which may stimulate cognitive activities such that areas subject to progressive failure are maintained. It has been discovered that music may boost Alzheimer’s disease patients’ memory in various ways. Research by Palisson et al. (2015) found that patients with Alzheimer’s disease recall more autobiographical
In this research paper, the effectiveness of music therapy on the cognitive degenerative disorder of dementia will be evaluated. To support the contention that music therapy is effective in treating the symptoms of dementia, research documenting this therapy’s impact on memory, emotions, and behavior will be examined. In order to provide a greater understanding of music therapy and dementia, these terms will be defined. Second, research will be examined to determine music therapy’s impact on the psychological and behavioral issues associated with dementia. Finally, a summary of music therapy’s benefits and an evaluation of its effectiveness in treating individuals afflicted with dementia will be discussed.
The director of the documentary, Michael Rossato-Bennett, furthermore teaches the viewer on the effects of musical stimuli on our brains, and how music and its effects can remain for patients with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia in a stage where other skills such as cognitive and motor have already
In the book, Surviving Alzheimer’s: Practical tips and soul-saving wisdom for caregivers, the writer, Paula Spencer Scott, gives insightful advice in regards to caring for someone that suffers from the unfortunate neurological disorder, Alzheimer’s. Scott does not hesitate to share multiple ideas, experiences about trying these ideas, and even included professional advice from geriatric specialist
Singing is also broadly used for dementia, which is the second technique. Satoh M et al. prepared ten AD patients to sing their chosen songs for six months by karaoke (10). Karaoke is a way in which patients take turns singing over prerecorded music through a system that reminds them of the song if they stop singing. Results showed time for Japanese Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices reduced and the neuropsychiatric symptoms enhanced after six months with MT (10). In addition, Meilán García JJ et al. related diverse kinds of sensitive music including sad, music without an expressive component, happy, absence of sound, and cafeteria sound as MT distinctly. It was established that melody with sad sentiment was the most effective for the reminiscence
potentially scare or alarm the patient, making them feel frightened. These reactions have a lot to
As shown in Henry’s case, music therapy has significant benefits for dementia patients, with regard to both physiological and intellectual perspectives. Following his case, the author goes on to discuss music therapy from general viewpoint. According to the American Music Therapy Association, “Music therapy is the planned and creative use of music to attain and maintain health and well being” (Mattews, 2015). This definition is open ended, which illustrates that music therapy is not only restricted for treating dementia, but also designed for variety range of population, including autism, anxiety disorder, and mental disorder patients. Furthermore, Matthews says that music has four aspects which contributed to music therapy: “communal nature of its delivery, the rhythmic quality of composition, the entrancing effect of music’s mood, and the physiological arousal accompanying listening” (Matthews, 2015). Especially, people with dementia more likely to recall the rhythm, melody of music that they used to listen when younger. Thereupon, the power of music plays meaningful role to health care setting.
This is the playlist I created that I would listen to at ninety years old. After listening to the playlist it changed my mood,took me back through a lot of great times and even made me want to get up and dance. Music is a good source to link memorie and even help someone get through stressful times. Music can also help a person express their personality. This treatment modality is effective for people with dementia because it can be way to recover lost memories from childhood. If the person may have had a bad morning it can change their day. Certain songs may help connect signficiant events in their life. For some people if they enjoyed dancing dancing in the younger days would make them think about their dance moves. Dementia is defined as
Dementia is an extremely common disease among the elderly, with 4 million Americans currently suffering from the Alzheimer’s type alone. Figures show that 3% of people between the ages of 65-74 suffer from the disease, rapidly increasing to 19% for the 75-84 age bracket, and as high as 47% for the over 85s. Therefore, it is easy to see why Dementia is such a large part of many people’s lives, whether they are suffering from the condition themselves, or have an elderly relative who requires full time care just to undertake simple day to day tasks. The disease can be extremely traumatic for the patient and their families, as the person, who may have been extremely lively and bright throughout their
My memorable journey onto the Alzheimer’s world begins in my late twenties. I used to work as an activity director in a retirement home for senior citizens. I just knew for protocol that more than a quarter of the total population of the residents was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s as a secondary diagnose.
Three sophomore students in Kennebunk, Maine, are making a difference for the local elderly citizens through their music therapy organization: Project Playback. Alzheimer's and dementia have negative impacts on the human brain, and are more common in the elderly. Symptoms of each may include: extreme memory loss, difficulty thinking or understanding, delusion, disorientation, and overall mental decline. Jason Albaum (15), Juli Ennis (16), and Colby Ellis (16) have, for 3 years, been helping elderly Alzheimer's and dementia patients to bring back good memories from their earlier life by playing certain songs for them. Their contributions have made a positive impact on many elderly men & women’s lives. Recently, U.S. Cellular (through
Evidence based practice shows that music has had many positive effects on those with dementia when used as a form of treatment. In fact, some of the benefits that have resulted from music therapy are currently unachievable by other interventions. Music therapy is defined as “controlled use of music and its influence on the human being to aid in physiological, psychological and emotional integration of individual during treatment of an illness or disability” (Sung, Lee, Chang & Smith, 2011). Patients with advanced dementia display a variety of unfavorable behaviors that are unpleasant and difficult to
This was a great video demonstrating the positive effects of music therapy. I think music therapy is a good method of treatment for patients with Alzheimer's. This allowed Henry to bring a sense of identity to himself. As his daughter mentioned, he used to love music and dancing. The music helped him remember the past and it also produced feelings of love. It was nice to see that he could experience those positive feelings from listing to music from his time. I think music really helps people with dementia. Before Henry was unresponsive and usually kept his head down. However, when he was listened to music his face was full of expression and his body moved to the music. The music helped communicate with others in the nursing home and his cognitive
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), scientific and clinical research evidence by cognitive neuroscientists shows that music positively stimulates the brain in various ways. Music has the ability to transcend language barriers, promote healing and even summon hidden memories. Researchers have found that music is a highly structured aural experience that impacts everything from cognition to perception to motor control in
Along with varying music to achieve different beneficial results from Alzheimer’s patients, there are many different activities that can help engage and improve the mental state of patients with Alzheimer’s from the early stages of the disease’s
Aside from emotions, music can also have an impact on mental illnesses like ADHD, depression, and dementia. To combat depression, Cadena states that “music therapy alleviates pain and promotes calmness by slowing the heart rate and other bodily functions” (2). It provides the patient with a means of escape from the stressful and painful ordeals of life, and can even encourage them to recover from depression. To help children with ADHD, music therapy and medications can be used conjointly. Music, Cadena affirms, “can provide a calming, sedative affect and assist a child with focusing on the task at hand” (2). In regards to dementia, a study was done to investigate the effects that music would have on people with the disease. The findings demonstrated that “mean agitation levels were significantly lower while listening to music than before listening to the music” (3).