World of Music: How it Helps People with Dementia

World of Music: How it Helps People with Dementia

Six Ways Music Benefits People with Dementia

 

Music is everywhere. It became a universal language apart from the languages the world has. Through its melody, rhythm, and heartfelt words, it made us see the other side of it. It made us feel something special that a simple spoken word could not do.

Aside from how it magically connects with our emotions, it has been a key to relieve some sickness. It has been a breakthrough for us to make impossible things possible. Through our minds, we have possibly made a connection between us and those who have that hard-to-treat impaired ability to remember—dementia.

Well, how does music go over this sickness? Let us find out then.

Music as a Treatment for Dementia

Dementia is not a disease like others, it comes to be an impaired ability that affects the functions of the mind. Luckily, apart from steps that challenge us to create communication with the those living with dementia, music has been discovered to be a key to connect with them. Here is how it works.

1 Effects on the Mind

Apart from reaching our emotions, music magically affects our minds, too. All dementia like Alzheimer’s disease and so many others, is challenging to treat or take time to help reduce its effect on the person.

Music helps reduce the anxiety and depression of the patient. It helps smooth their mind, giving them relaxation and a proper way to pull themselves back. Psychologically, it increases memory and retention helpful for those living with dementia.

2 Reconnects

Music helps those living with dementia reconnect with their loved ones. It is a tool for us to talk to them, as well as help them remember things they had forgotten. It is a tool to help calm their mind and remember things that matters to them. It also lifts their mood and gives us time to talk to them in a normal conversation. That is how music benefits not only the person living with dementia but also the surrounding people.

This shows how powerful music is.

3 Distracts Those Living with Dementia

Music is an effective way to create a distraction – not negatively but as a positive one. If the person living with dementia is overly agitated, music helps to calm and ease their minds. They will turn their attention away from the cause of the trigger and go with the music’s flow. Well, this is an effective way to catch their attention without harming them.

4 Stimulates Many Parts of the Brain

Music has effects on the psychological aspect of a person living with dementia. It stimulates parts of the brain that include the auditory cortex. This part organizes the sound that responds to frequencies receive, such as music. It helps trigger emotional aspects such as a feeling of a person. It also helps them relax.

5 Reduce Anxiety and Depression

Music can help reduce anxiety and depression. It redirects their attention away from its causes and calms their mind. It helps them forget their problem and be mesmerized by the music.

6 Reduces Agitation

Therapy, such as music, helps reduce the agitation of a person living with dementia. Likewise, with how it reduces the risk of anxiety and depression, it could also reduce the adverse effect of agitation. Thus, this helps lessen the things that trigger their dementia.

It also became a reason music therapy has been part of the treatment for dementia today. The benefits of music are supported by studies. Thus, it proves how music creates a connection between those living with dementia and their loved ones is a perfect step to follow.

Type of Music Good for Dementia

Because not all music helps those living with dementia, we must keep in mind that a piece of delightful music is beneficial to them. Well, let’s look at what types of music are suitable:

Individualized Music

There is not one type of music suitable for dementia. Patients experiencing dementia love listening to music meaningful to them. By listening to this kind of music, dementia patients can reminisce about their memories, lift their mood and pull themselves back together.

Classical Music

Classical Music such as Mozart could also be used as a treatment. It could calm them down and reduce agitation. It could also tap even an inch of their memory, which could help them remember anything important.

Soothing Music

Music that could calm them, such as the sound of nature, is also helpful. This delicate sound is the same as other types of music good for those living with dementia. These are just some of the music that might help them relax. Thus, always be careful in choosing the type of music we want them to hear, as some music might trigger them more because they have a negative impression of it.

With the right approach, music therapy might become more helpful. Treat them like how we are used to treating them. By this, we will reconnect our world to them.

Conclusion

Music is everywhere, and online music lessons are available. Thousands have been released and heard. We are fortunate to have music because it makes our lives livelier. It also became a tool to treat illnesses such as dementia.

Who could have thought that this was possible? Who could have thought that it could be a way to reconnect to individuals living with dementia?

Music truly is not just music. It is a key.