Music May Lessen Distress In People With Dementia
One recent report highlights the potential benefits of music therapy for people with advanced dementia, providing evidence-based guidelines for its use. Researchers at Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom compiled and analyzed information gleaned from interviews, systematic reviews, and surveys. Their findings suggest that personalized music therapy, involving activities like singing, playing, or listening to music, can immediately reduce agitation and anxiety in patients with advanced dementia, while improving attention, mood, and engagement.
Music therapy helps stimulate cognitive and sensory pathways, access memories, and regulate emotions through brain-wide activation. Familiar music, especially from a person’s formative years (ages 10 to 30), can evoke positive memories and reduce physiological stress by calming the autonomic nervous system. The researchers note that music therapy appears to foster empathy, reduce caregiver stress, and offer meaningful interactions, especially during periods of distress.
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