Music's Benefits For Dementia Patients Bigger Than Thought

You may have seen those viral videos of dementia patients who struggle to complete sentences belting out a verse of their favourite song by heart.

“Music and memory have a powerful connector,” the NHS says, adding that it has “many benefits in the setting of dementia.”

It can help to alleviate anxiety and depression, maintain speech and language skills, and enhance the quality of their and their carers’ lives, they add.

Some research has found that music may even have regenerative properties for the brain, while other studies suggest the parts of the brain that remember music may be less affected by dementia than other memories.

But

new research conducted

by Angela Ruiskin University and the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research suggests even more is going on than we’d previously thought.

Like what?

The paper,

published this month,

found that the heart rates and movements of people with dementia changed with the music they were listening to ― this was “sometimes clearly visible, other times more subtle.”

Their heart rate also changed when they sang along to the music. Even thinking or reminiscing about their favourite songs had an effect on their heartbeat.

I’m not surprised to learn that not any old music will do, either.

Those with dementia need to be handed the aux (metaphorically speaking) to get the most out of the tunes, the study suggested.

“Participants benefited from repeated listening which allowed them time to disclose genuine favourites rather than those suggested by others in the household.”

“If a family member has fond memories of listening to a particular piece of music with their spouse or partner, this should not lead to the assumption that the importance of that music is mutual – the person living with dementia must be given time to arrive at their own, genuine choices,” the paper recommends.

However, some songs simply need to be played a few times over for the person with dementia to remember their emotional connection with it.

Anything else?

It’s important to find out what feelings music evokes in someone with dementia, the study found, as “if the person has unpleasant associations that could exacerbate stress rather than help to alleviate it.”

“It is not essential to try and elicit dialogue about the music, but to be in the music together,” it continues.

More research needs to be done into the links between music and dementia care, the paper says, as this was a small study.