Using Music to Comfort Dementia Patients

Dementia takes away a person’s memory. That’s more than just forgetting what you know. It also means a loss of identity, of person, and of connection.

When you lose something so precious, you try to find comfort in familiar things. Music is a powerful tool because it evokes a sensory response, as opposed to an intellectual one. Music is often attached to nostalgic moments in one’s life, and the sensory evocation of those moments through music can be a powerful force against the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s or other dementias.

We know that Alzheimer’s greatly affects short-term memory. Long-term memory generally remains intact, although the ability to access it is reduced. A dementia patient may have the memory in their head but not be able to associate it with their current reality. However, music that takes them back to that moment of the memory can strengthen the association of it to the present time period.

Music therapy also has other beneficial effects, including reducing anxiety (and sometimes pain). There have even been findings to suggest that it can improve heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. While there is still much uncertainty regarding scientific benefits, it appears to have a generally positive effect. Anecdotally there seems to be much more support 

Do you have a loved one who suffers from dementia? Can you think of any piece of music that has significance to him or her? If so, try playing that music next time you visit them. It doesn’t have to be a big grand deal. Perhaps just having it on in the background while visiting them have an uplifting effect on their mood. 

But be conscious of the effects that music can have. If familiar music is a positive and rejuvinating force for the mind, the flipside could easily be true. Imagine what would happened if you brought Kanye West in the life of your loved one? How would they react?

Since the purpose of familair music is to help recall familiar experiences, unfamiliar music can have the result of reinfrocing the unfamiliarity imposed by dementia. It can even cause discomfort and aggravation to the patient.

The bottom line is that music can be a powerful tool for therapy in memory care. But like all methods of care, its use should follow what is appropriate based on the context of the current situation, the role of the music in memory, and the nature of the music itself.

Some say music is a universal language. Let’s use it to communicate with and comfort our dementia patients!

For more on music therapy, check out the American Music Therapy Association