Dementia affects more and more families worldwide, and while the disease is currently incurable, there are many ways to ease symptoms and improve quality of life. One of the most promising yet natural approaches is music therapy.
This article explores how music affects brain function, why musical memories can remain even in advanced stages, and the positive effects of listening to music and active musical engagement for someone with dementia. It also provides practical examples of how to use music in daily care and what scientific research says about the effectiveness of this method.
Music and Dementia: When Melodies Build Bridges to Memories
Dementia affects not only memory but also emotions, communication, and daily functioning. In recent years, however, a special non-medical approach has gained increasing attention: using music to relieve symptoms. Both research and practical experience show that music can open doors in the brain that are otherwise difficult to reach.
How does music affect the brain?
Processing music is an extremely complex process: it simultaneously activates areas of the brain responsible for emotions, movement, memory, and attention. Rhythm encourages movement, while melodies trigger emotional responses. This complex activation can help maintain brain function for a longer period.
Interestingly, the brain regions associated with musical memories are often less damaged as dementia progresses. This is why even a loved one with dementia in a severe condition may recognize an old favorite song or even respond to it.
Why can music help with dementia?
Music supports someone with dementia on several levels:
- Recalling memories: A familiar tune can bring back long-forgotten experiences, faces, or life situations.
- Improving mood: Music can reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms while strengthening positive emotions.
- Supporting communication: It provides an opportunity for self-expression even for those who find it hard to find words.
- Encouraging movement: Rhythm helps with coordination and can improve balance and activity.
What does the research say?
Based on comprehensive studies, music therapy is particularly effective in easing behavioral and psychological symptoms. Agitation, anxiety, and depression may decrease while quality of life improves. In milder cases, positive changes have even been observed in memory and cognitive performance.
Although the exact mechanisms are not yet fully understood, several possible explanations exist:
- Music triggers emotional reactions that support the connections between nerve cells.
- It stimulates the brain’s reward system, such as the release of dopamine.
- It reduces stress, which may indirectly slow down decline.
How can it be applied in practice?
Music therapy is not just one single method but can take many forms. The most effective approach is usually personalized:
- Individual playlists: A loved one’s favorite music from their youth has a particularly strong emotional impact.
- Singing together: This strengthens bonds and improves the mood.
- Group sessions: These encourage activity in an interactive, experiential way.
- Movement to music: In the form of dancing or simple movement exercises.
- Using instruments: Even simple rhythm instruments can be involved.
It is important that the method fits the person’s abilities and condition. What brings joy to one person might not necessarily work the same way for another.
How does this look in practice?
Individual Playlists
What exactly should you do?
- Ask family members: what music did your loved one with dementia listen to when they were young (e.g., in their 20s or 30s)?
- Create an “age-based playlist” (e.g., hits from the 60s or 70s).
- Play the music tied to daily routines (morning, during meals, before bed).
Example:
- Turn on a familiar song in the morning to help with waking up and orientation.
- Play music while looking at photos; the music + visual stimulus together have a stronger effect.
How to involve them?
Don’t ask: “Would you like to listen to music?”
Instead: “Listen to this, does it sound familiar?”
The memory often activates automatically.
Singing Together
What exactly should you do?
- Choose simple, well-known songs (folk songs, old hits).
- You don’t need to “sing well”; the participation and the shared activity are what matter.
Example:
- Humming together while cooking.
- Singing together while traveling in the car.
How to involve them?
- Start singing yourself; they will often join in automatically.
- Leave out the end of a line; they will often finish it for you.
This is especially effective because while speech may decline, the ability to sing remains for a long time.
Group Sessions (even as a mini version at home)
What exactly should you do?
- Invite family members or friends over for a “musical afternoon.”
- Listen to music, talk about it, and clap to the rhythm.
Example:
- “Memory Music Afternoon”: everyone brings a song from the past.
- Watching old TV shows or music videos together.
How to involve them?
- Don’t call it “therapy.”
Instead: “Let’s listen to some old songs together.”
The key: it should be an experience, not a task to be completed.
Movement to Music
What exactly should you do?
- It doesn’t have to be dancing! It is enough if they:
- tap their feet,
- clap,
- sway.
Example:
- Hold hands during a favorite song and move gently together.
- Move arms to the rhythm while sitting in a chair.
How to involve them?
- Start the movement yourself.
- Give simple instructions: “Let’s try to do this together…”
The rhythm often “starts up” the body automatically.
Using “Instruments”
What exactly should you do?
- Simple items are perfect:
- spoon + glass
- clapping
Example:
- During a song, you “accompany” the rhythm together.
- You clap, and they clap back (a simple game).
How to involve them?
- Put the item in their hand and show them.
- Don’t over-explain; demonstrate instead.
A sense of achievement comes very quickly here, which is motivating.
Extra Tip (very important)
- Don’t correct them if they “make a mistake” (wrong lyrics, rhythm, etc.).
- Don’t force it if they don’t react; try again later.
- Short, 10–20 minute sessions are effective enough.
The most important thing is not the perfection of the method, but the emotional connection. Music is not a task but an experience, and it is often one of the last “links” that remains.
Why do they remember the songs?
Musical memory is partly separate from other forms of memory. Because of this, music often “outlives” cognitive decline. A melody doesn’t just recall sounds, but entire experiences: feelings, places, and human relationships.
Future Possibilities
The role of music in elderly care is expected to grow further. More and more professionals recognize that music therapy is not just a supplementary tool but can be an essential part of care. It does not replace medical treatment, but it can significantly contribute to improving quality of life.
Music is a universal language that can create a connection even when words have disappeared. For someone with dementia, it doesn’t just mean entertainment, but a kind of lifeline: a bridge between the past and the present.
FORGETTING – Dementia in practice
This article is part of our Non-Drug Therapies for Dementia: Solutions for Anxiety, Agitation, and Sleep Issues – Dementia in practice collection.
Important Disclaimer
The information and advice presented on this website and in this article are for informational purposes only. They do not constitute a medical diagnosis or individual therapeutic recommendations. The operator/author of the website assumes no liability for any direct or indirect damages, health issues, or misunderstandings resulting from the use of this information. Everyone applies the described methods at their own risk. Please consult your physician before making any lifestyle changes or applying any complementary therapies.
About the Author
Suzanne Sandwiese – Dementia Caregiver, Mental Health Assistant
I have more than 12 years of practical experience in caring for elderly people and patients living with dementia. My goal is to translate knowledge about dementia into understandable, practical advice that can be applied in daily life, thereby helping families live together with the disease. As the author of several professional books and the founder of a popular Facebook page, my mission is to provide clear and, above all, usable guidance to all those who care for loved ones living with dementia.
Sources and Recommended Reading
- Alzheimer’s Association: Music and Art https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/daily-care/art-musicA leading resource providing practical tips for caregivers on how to use music to reduce agitation and improve connection.
- Mayo Clinic: Can music help someone with dementia? https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/expert-answers/music-and-alzheimers/faq-20058173A concise medical summary of how music can relieve stress and evoke memories even in the later stages of dementia.
- Music for Dementia: Why is music so powerful? https://musicfordementia.org.uk/why-music/the-science/An excellent guide that explains the science behind why musical memory often remains untouched by the disease.