What is the connection between music and dementia?
Studies show that people with dementia often respond well to music. While music can sometimes cause negative feelings, it can also stimulate positive memories. Try listening to different types of music and see what your loved one reacts to. Then, you can switch to something else to make it more stimulating. And, of course, always remember that music should be played at the appropriate volume. Whether it’s classical or jazz, music can help people of all ages and stages of dementia connect better with each other.
According to a recent study, people with high levels of depression exhibited increased facial expressions when listening to music. Moreover, people with depression have a negative attentional bias, which means that they are more likely to recall negative memories. It’s not surprising, then, that when patients are suffering from dementia, listening to music may trigger negative thoughts and memories. This may explain why music may be so effective in triggering memories and emotions.
As part of the study, caregivers were provided with Philips Lightweight Over-Ear Hi-Fi headphones and SONY NWZ-B183F MP3 walkman. They also received a voucher worth $AUD30 that they could use to download music from iTunes, which was valid for two months. Caregivers received a one-hour training on how to use the new equipment. Then, they were given two weeks to prepare playlists.
Other studies have demonstrated that listening to music can improve one’s memory. The World Health Organization (WHO) carried out a research not too long ago that investigated the effect that music had on the condition. It was shown that dementia patients who listened to music showed improvements in their behavioural and emotional patterns, and their demand for antipsychotic medications was reduced. The research also revealed that people suffering from dementia required fewer antipsychotic drugs and had shorter hospital stays than patients without dementia. The findings of this study are promising, yet there is a need for additional investigation.
It would be beneficial for future research on the impact of music on people with dementia to make use of a bigger sample size of personnel as well as a more methodical investigation. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that underlie how music impacts memory, cognition, and emotional well-being is necessary for the successful implementation of music therapy in dementia patients. The purpose of this paper is to provide assistance to caregivers as well as persons living with dementia in making the most of these results. However, it is essential to keep in mind that there has not been a single experiment that has demonstrated a conclusive connection between music and dementia.
Clive was a famous French composer who was struck with dementia in 1932. The illness progressed to the point where he was unable to compose or conduct an orchestra. The study also found that Clive retained some of his perceptual auditory abilities. He was able to recognize his own compositions and recognize slight mistakes while playing them. Therefore, music can help with this disease. There’s a direct correlation between dementia and music, but the relationship between the two is still controversial.