Dementia & the power of Music

Can you put headphones on a dementia patient?

Headphones can be a tool for people with dementia to engage with their choice of music to avoid unwanted sounds.

Headphone-based music interventions can help improve the quality of life for people with dementia in long-term care homes.

What type of music is best for dementia?

Any music that's familiar and likable elicits the best responses, and any songs associated with prior experiences — including those of their youth — have a higher potential for engagement.

How does music help with dementia?

Music evokes emotions and memories, which is why musical intervention has therapeutic benefits for people with dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

Musical interventions have been shown to decrease a patient's agitation and improve communication and caregiver relationships.

Music also often captures our attention, due to the way it affects our minds, bodies and emotions. When music draws our attention, this increases the likelihood that it will be encoded in memory together with details of a life event.

This experience – when music brings back memories of events, people and places from our past – is known as a music-evoked autobiographical memory. And it's a common experience. It often occurs as an involuntary memory.

Which genre of music should I choose?

It's best to play music that is familiar and enjoyable to the person. If possible, allow the person to choose the music.

Select a music source that doesn't have interruptions from commercials, as this can cause confusion.

Use music to set the desired mood. For instance, a peaceful piece of music can help create a calm environment, while a lively song from the person's childhood may lift their spirits and bring back happy memories.

Encourage movement such as clapping or dancing to enhance the enjoyment.

To avoid overwhelming the senses, minimize competing noises by using Headphones.

What is Sundowning?

Sundowning is a term used for changes in behaviour that occur in the evening, around dusk.

Some people who have dementia experience a growing sense of agitation or anxiety at this time.

How does Music help with Sundowning?

Music can help alleviate symptoms by providing a calming and engaging experience that promotes relaxation and connection.

Listening to familiar and soothing music can have a calming effect on seniors experiencing sundowning.

It can help reduce restlessness by providing a comforting and familiar environment, allowing them to feel more at ease.

What is the best way to alleviate agitation for my loved one?

The most common behavioral challenge associated with dementia is agitation, which is also one of the most difficult issues for caregivers to manage.

As a result, a lot of research has been done to understand how music affects this prevalent and problematic symptom. Studies have found that implementing 15-week interventions of either individualized music listening or music therapy significantly improved agitation in individuals with dementia.

Can someone appear to have Sundowning without a Dementia diagnosis?

In the elderly, sundowning can occur even without previous symptoms of dementia. This is often due to a reduced brain capacity struggling to handle the stress of daily activities. Additionally, sundowning in non-dementia patients with anxiety may happen when their biological clock is misaligned.

Tips for Managing Sundowning

Use distraction techniques: go into a different room, make the person a drink, have a snack, or go for a walk
Put on their music.
Talk in a slow, soothing way.
Speak in short sentences and give simple instructions to try to avoid confusion.
Hold the person’s hand or sit close to them.