Music Therapy And Alzheimer's

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

Music has been able to entertain the population for as long as it has been around. It is present in restaurants, clubs, and similar environments so that people can be entertained while enjoying time out with family and friends. Although music has a reputation of being a tool of entertainment, it also has the ability to benefit the health and mental state of the listener. Many studies have been conducted to shed light on the positive effects of music therapy and show that music is able to provide an even greater effect than the ordinary treatments alone.President of the Association for Music Therapy states that,“Active music engagement allowed the patients to reconnect with the healthy

Dementia is the loss of cognition function. This condition is rapidly becoming a huge challenge as well a leading cause of mortality and morbidity of the 21st century, especially in the western world, and the current prediction rates of dementia indicate that it will worsen. The numbers of the individuals affected by the condition is anticipated to rise due to the ever expanding older population. Despite the menace of this condition, the power of music, particularly in singing to jerk or unlock past memories and kick start the grey matter of the brain is an incredible feature of dementia care. Using music seems to reach parts of the damaged patient’s brain in unique ways that other means cannot (Geretsegger et al. (2014). In senior adults with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other mental disorders, music therapy has shown capability of reducing agitated or aggressive behavior, improve cooperation with day-to-day activities such as bathing, improved mood, and reduce symptoms of dementia. Besides, music therapy can reduce the

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.

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve observed people playing music around me. My family is musically inclined, which I believe is the reason I’ve been drawn to it. In 2006, I began taking guitar lessons but I never had much interest in playing. Things changed in 2009, and I wished to be different. I wanted to be good at something so I began to teach myself guitar and have stuck with the guitar until now. In 2010, I began to play on my church’s worship team and I enjoyed it very much. I have now been a worship leader for the past four years and it’s something I love to do. I love it so much that for the past two years I have gone to Camp Electric to

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

My great-grandmother was diagnosed with dementia around the time she turned 85. This meant that her cognitive functions were deteriorating (Vink). She rapidly began to forget what she once knew. She could no longer recognize her children. She even forgot her name. The possibility of her memories being restored quickly became a hopeless case.

In the article “Dementia and the Power of Music Therapy” by Steve Matthews, argues that music therapy has positive effects on dementia, in terms of non-pharmacological treatment, inexpensive in health budgets, and neurocognitive benefits for patients. Matthews starts off the article by describing current tendency of dementia in western nation. He mentions that dementia is one of fast increasing disease in United States, Canada, UK, Europe, and Australia. Additionally, Australian government’s investment for dementia raised up to third highest in national health budgets, in the wake of cardiovascular disease and cancer (Matthews 2015). Following that, there is need for music therapy as an alternative approach in order to treat dementia.

Therefore, picking music that a person with Alzheimer’s listened to frequently during their younger years has resulted in strong responses from these patients – meaning that the music provokes them to show more signs of engagement with external stimulants. This also means that in order to create new forms of response in Alzheimer’s patients, new and unfamiliar music should be used because it has not yet been tied to any old memories. In addition to varying familiar and unfamiliar music when trying to conjure various positive responses in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, it is also beneficial to vary stimulating and sedative music genres. Stimulating music can help “promote movement” or “activate” patients. For example, playing faster tempo music during dinner could help prevent the patient from falling asleep at the table. Sedative music, or music with slower tempo, calmer rhythm, and little percussion, is good for relaxing the patient during activities that are usually agitating for them, or when they are trying to sleep. However, opposite responses may occur depending on the associations that the patients may have formed in their memories with the specific music (Clair).

“Who are you again?” my great-grandmother asked her daughter, my grandma. Dementia is a horrible diagnosis not only for the people diagnosed with it, but also for everyone around them. Someone you’ve known your whole life slowly starts to forget you. I want to know many things about dementia because I know as I get older there is a larger chance more and more people close to me will suffer with dementia. I have chosen this topic since both my great-grandparents suffered with dementia/Alzheimer’s, so I have been in contact with people who start to forget the most important things and people in their lives.

Although I found merit in how music therapy decreases behavioral symptoms of AD and dementia, I was even more concerned how it effects on memory. I kept thinking about the different stories of the residents in the documentary Alive Inside. My previous research explained the response that Henry had in the documentary Alive Inside. In fact, his response surfaced in social media where he seemingly awakens from a cationic state after listening to jazz and his favorite music. After his therapy, he starts to sing, smile, and laugh; however, I was even more perplexed by the opening scene of the documentary where they interview a resident who cannot remember her life before she was a young woman. After listening to the song “When the Saints go marching

Music can play an important role in Alzheimer's care. Read on to find out three ways it can help:

Henry’s story did not involve the use of music therapy as no music therapist was present. According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy involves science backed techniques practiced by licensed professionals with at least a bachelor’s degrees in music therapy and 1200 hours of separate training(2014). Music therapists may implement a variety of different techniques to treat a patient, but the term “music therapist” only applies to board certified clinicians. In other words, the proverbial well-meaning group of teenagers with guitars are not conducting music therapy during their interactions with patients. However, mere exposure to music has a host of medically pertinent benefits and therefore is worth evaluating when discussing possible Alzheimer’s treatments ( Novotney,

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).

Music plays an important role in one 's memory. We have two basics types of memory Which are short and long term memory. Our brains seem to have been hard-wired to connect music with long-term memory making it an essential tool in helping those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Alzheimer’s disease is “A progressive mental deterioration that can occur in middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain. It is the most common cause of premature senility.” (https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=100) When using music to aid in the treatment of said patients the results are astounding and can even be seen in the very late stages of the disease. Music has the ability to change the patient 's mood, influence