People with dementia listen to a concert at the Marie-Juchacz nursing home in Germany's Würzburg. — dpa
TEN years ago the documentary Alive Inside showed what music can do for dementia patients.
In the film, a 90-year-old woman apologises for her inability to recall events. “I can’t remember anymore,” she says when asked about her life.
“I’ve forgotten so much. I’m sorry.”
But just a short time later, after sitting with headphones and listening to Louis Armstrong, memories and stories pour out of her.
The power of music for people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia has since been scientifically proven.
“Music therapy has been shown to improve cognitive abilities in people with dementia,” write the authors of a 2020 review of eight studies.
They found that dementia patients also experienced an improvement in perceived quality of life immediately after the intervention, as well as a reduction in long-term depression. Listening to music was found to be the most effective, but singing also helped, according to the analysis.
Another team of researchers published a study in 2024 that focused solely on the Alzheimer’s disease, which suggested that music therapy treatment improves the brain function in patients with Alzheimer’s.
The meta-analysis of 11 studies found that brain function in general, speech, orientation and memory improved. According to another meta-study, music therapy can also help to alleviate restlessness in people with dementia.
The team evaluated 12 scientific articles and presented the results in the journal Frontiers of Psychology.
Workshops for amateur musicians
The findings are being put into practice. At the North Bavarian Music Association (NBMB) members are organising participatory concerts for people with dementia as part of the “A Song for You” project.
“There were people in the audience at our concerts who seemingly no longer reacted to anything. When we played well-known songs from their childhood or Christmas songs, they suddenly started singing along, and they knew the lyrics.
It was really fascinating,” says Ulrike, a musician who regularly performs in retirement homes with her amateur ensemble.
In addition, hobby musicians can take further training workshops at the NBMB, based in Unterpleichfeld near Würzburg, if they want to bring music to care facilities.
Together with the Würzburg-Schweinfurt University of Applied Sciences, it has developed a guide to relevant digital music offerings.
The number of people with dementia is increasing worldwide. According to estimates by the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are currently 55 million people affected. This number is expected to rise to 78 million by 2030 and 139 million by 2050, the organisation estimates.
Although dementia is considered an age-related disease, it does not only affect older people. According to the WHO, the disease occurs before the age of 65 in up to 9% of cases.
While dementia used to be considered almost inevitable in many cases, there is now increasing evidence that the disease can often be prevented or at least delayed by various means.
Risk factors for dementia
Risk factors for dementia include a lack of physical exercise, obesity and diabetes, smoking and alcohol consumption, high blood pressure, as well as social isolation, depression, low education, brain injuries, hearing loss and air pollution.
The Lancet Commission on Dementia recently caused a stir with a new assessment. According to the international team, 45% of all cases of dementia can be prevented or at least delayed. In addition to the 12 potentially avoidable risk factors mentioned, the commission also listed two further factors: treating impending vision loss and high cholesterol can also have a preventive effect.
Dementia is an umbrella term for several diseases that can affect memory, cognitive abilities and behaviour. Alzheimer’s is the most common form, accounting for 60% to 70% of cases, according to the WHO.
In Germany, there are 1.8 million people with dementia alone, according to the German Alzheimer Society.
“Even though there is currently no cure for the disease, medical treatment, counselling, social care, expert nursing and much more can help patients and their families,” the society says.
And don’t forget music – which for many dementia patients – is key. – dpa
