Music as a resource, not a treatment, in dementia care
A certified music therapist argues that framing music solely as a treatment for dementia symptoms limits its broader benefits and reinforces stigma. The author, drawing on clinical experience, emphasizes music's unique ability to engage multiple brain areas—hearing, movement, attention, language, emotion, memory—and notes that musical memory is often preserved in dementia patients regardless of prior background. Rather than focusing on loss and deficit, the therapist advocates for music programs that foster self-expression, identity, agency, and meaningful interaction, including learning new songs, songwriting, and improvisation. The piece critiques the overemphasis on personalized playlists and calls for integrating music therapists as consultants in dementia care to provide diverse, culturally relevant experiences. It references neurologist Oliver Sacks, who said music can provide access to movement, speech, and life when medication cannot. The article is part of The Grey Revolution series by The Conversation Canada/La Conversation, exploring aging boomer impacts on Canadian society.
Key facts
- Music engages multiple brain areas including hearing, movement, attention, language, emotion, memory, and thinking.
- Areas of the brain related to musical memory and engagement are often preserved in persons with dementia.
- Individuals with dementia can learn new songs, participate in collaborative songwriting, and engage in improvisatory music making.
- Dr. Allen Power proposes viewing dementia as a shift in experience rather than solely a disease.
- Symptoms of distress in dementia may indicate unmet needs rather than direct neurological deterioration.
- The Greek root of 'therapy' (therapeia) means to attend, serve, or help, not just treat.
- Oliver Sacks stated that music can provide access to movement, speech, and life when medication cannot.
- The article is part of The Grey Revolution series by The Conversation Canada/La Conversation.
- The series explores the impact of the aging boomer generation on Canadian society.
- Music therapists should be integrated into dementia care as professional consultants.
Entities
Artists
- Oliver Sacks
- Allen Power
Institutions
- The Conversation Canada
- La Conversation
Locations
- Canada