Research suggests that listening to music or singing songs can help people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias in providing them with emotional and behavioral benefits. Music can also benefit caregivers by providing a way for them to connect with their loved ones, friends, or patients, especially when they can no longer communicate effectively.

Key Areas in the Brain Linked to Musical Memory

In an answer to question page on the Mayo Clinic website entitled “Can music help someone with Alzheimer’s?” by Dr. Jonathan Graff-Radford, he states that musical memories are often preserved in Alzheimer’s disease as key areas in the brain linked to musical memory are relatively undamaged by the disease.  

James Trapper, in an article entitled “Only music reached my wife after dementia hit, says John Suchet,” in The Guardian, Dec 2020, writes that John Suchet found music was transformational on his wife who had vascular dementia. 

Professor Helen Odell-Miller, director of Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research at Anglia Ruskin University, stated that research showed music may help improve emotional states and create connection.  In addition, she states that as damage to their brain increased and language was no longer possible, there was still an understanding of music. Be encouraged by providing a way through music to communicate and interact with your loved one, friend, or patient.

Reviews of Music Intervention for Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias

The article entitled “Music Intervention Approaches for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review of the Literature,” in frontiers in Neuroscience, published 12 March 2019, by Leggieri, et al., a sample of six papers containing studies using either active music therapy or music listening techniques including people with AD dementia were analyzed for findings. Here are key findings from the article:

• Regardless of the music intervention approach, individualized music regiments provided the best outcomes for the patient
• Music listening may act as a relaxation technique, providing a long-term impact for the patient
• Active music therapy may act to engage participants through social interaction and provide acute benefits
• Music techniques can be utilized in various ways to improve behavior and cognition

In the article entitled “Music therapy is a potential intervention for cognition of Alzheimer’s Disease: a mini-review,” in Translational Neurodegeneration (2017) by Fang et al., here are some key conclusions from the review:

• Music therapy can reduce cognitive decline especially in autobiographical and episodic memories, psychomotor speed, executive function domains, and global cognition
• Music therapy is a promising intervention for strategy of dementia especially of Alzheimer’s and it must be started as early as possible
• More rigorous methodological investigations are needed, and consider combining music therapy with other cognitive stimulations such as dance, physical exercise, video game, art, etc.

Music Therapy Benefits

Some of the benefits from music therapy for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s and other dementias include:

• Reduces anxiety and depression
• Reduces agitation
• Relieves stress
• In a recent study, music helped produce more of the brain’s “feel-good chemicals” including melatonin, serotonin, and prolactin in Alzheimer’s patients
• Provides a way to connect with loved ones
• Evokes memories from a patient’s past

Soul Care: 3 Key Learning Points

Taken from my blog entitled Soul Care: 3 Key Learning Points,” here are three (3) key learning points.  Notice in the third learning point, music should be included in the treatment of people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. These key learning points are derived from my personal experiences, Dr. Antoinette Pinto-Sequeira's e-book, and Dr. Ellor’s discoveries:

• The soul is NOT affected by the disease and the soul does NOT die until death when it is freed. Alzheimer’s disease progressively destroys thinking skills and memory as neurons die and the brain shrinks, but the disease does not affect the soul. Some think that the soul may be trapped within damaged neurons of the brain when dementia is present.
  
  
• ‘Soul Care’ for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients should focus on emotion and the senses, NOT cognitive functions of the brain. People do not lose their sense of identity and will retain a sense of what was important to them in their pre-dementia lives.
  
  
• ‘Soul Care’ should be an added dimension to the treatment of people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Even in the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease, patients can remember Bible verses, hymns, songs from their younger years. Playing these songs and having times for worship should be included as part of their soul care.

Music in the Word of God

God created music with the intention for it to be an immensely powerful and positive tool. Music pierces into the deep parts of our soul to assist us in our expression and response to God Almighty. Music also unites us with each other in the body of Christ.  

There are many good examples of using music in the Bible. There are songs of praise, victory, protection, mourning, gratitude, and the Psalms.  Here are a few Scripture verses about music:

You will preserve me from trouble.
You will surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah"
(Psalm 32:7 WEB).

"At night I remember my music; I meditate in my heart, and my spirit ponders" (Psalm 77:6 HCSB).

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night" (Psalm 92:1-2 KJV).

"Let them praise His name with dancing
and make music to Him with tambourine and lyre.
For Yahweh takes pleasure in His people;
He adorns the humble with salvation" (Psalm 149:3-4 HCSB).

"...speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ" (Ephesians 5:19-21 WEB).

"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts" (Colossians 3:16 NIV).

The Need for More Research & Awareness

As stated earlier in this blog, music therapy has been shown to have many positive effects on people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. According to John Suchet, in James Trapper’s article listed above, there is new research, but it only shows that 16% of people with dementia frequently engage with music. And the Opinium survey of more than 1,000 people who were close to someone who had dementia, found 58% of those afflicted “rarely, occasionally or never” engage with music.

Clearly, we need additional research to definitively understand the effects of music and the brain in people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. There is a lack of studies investigating brain changes associated with a music intervention.

Grace Meadows, campaign director of Music for Dementia said: “But it’s clear from our survey findings that more music services are needed to meet demand and that there is a lack of awareness about how to access them.” 

Additionally, she stated “We know the care sector has been under extraordinary pressure this year (2020), but looking ahead to 2021, it is vital that music is at the heart of dementia care and is seen as a priority, as we try to grow back better the care we provide for people living with dementia.”

Ways to Help Others with Music

Here are some things to consider when experimenting with using music with your loved one, friend or patient with Alzheimer’s or other dementias:

• Know their music preferences and music known they enjoy – often music from teenage years and early adulthood evoke memories of happy times. You may want to check with family and friends. Also, for people of faith, consider playing well-known hymns they sang in church from their early years.
• Be attentive to their response to songs – make note of songs that seem to be most pleasurable to them and play them often versus those they respond to negatively.
• Use music to calm and soothe any anxiety they are experiencing. Playing music (known music preferences) can totally transform their behavior and countenance.
• Limit distractions when playing music. Ensure there are no competing sounds, like TV, other people, etc. to avoid possible confusion.
• Adjust volume needed for their specific known hearing ability.
• Sing along to music together – singing can stir and inspire the soul from music remembrance/memories.

Want to learn more about “Soul Care” and Gifts2Bless Offerings?

To learn more about “Soul Care” I have written several blogs entitled "Compassionate Love: Responding to One with a Desperate Cry,” “Soul Care: 3 Key Learning Points,” and “9 Basic Needs of the Soul."  More teachings are work-in-process, bringing you real-life experiences and discoveries as we continue to reach out to people with Alzheimer’s and other brain disorders, their caregivers, and facility staff.  You can also select this link to the “Soul Care” tab on “The ‘Word’ In and Out of Season to Proclaim” page for related Scripture verses. 

Consider our specially-selected gifts for a variety of therapies:

Shop Robotic Pets Therapy and Music ♫ Reminiscence Therapy.  These gifts have blessed many who are:

• lonely, isolated, agitated, or anxious
• showing signs of depression or discouragement
• experiencing cognitive decline due to Alzheimer's and other dementias
• veterans facing unique factors for Alzheimer's due to service-connected injuries
• spiritually distressed and in need of soul care

Play Familiar Hymns and Recite Bible Verses

For people of faith, practice ‘Soul Care’ by playing CDs or downloading familiar hymns to play for your loved one or friend with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Read familiar Bible verses to them. Inspire the Soul! Shop Music ♫ Reminiscence Therapy and check out the digital download offering of Dementia-Friendly: Lyrics to 20 Favorite Sing-Along Hymns.

Never feel that it is too late to make a difference in a person’s life who is afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Discover how your soul is inspired as well and see your spiritual relationship with God forever changed.

We encourage you to share your story with us and add comments below.