Music is a special type of performing art. No matter what language you speak or what age you are, music has the ability to bind people from different backgrounds together. Even in illness, listening to music can make a ton of difference to the lives of your loved ones. For caregivers of parents with dementia, music therapy is a powerful tool as it can soothe both your parents and yourself! Read on to find out what exactly music therapy is and learn about the benefits of music therapy for dementia.
What Is Music Therapy?
Music therapy has been backed by research and has been proven to improve dementia patients’ lives holistically by using both melodies and harmonies. By improving the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of an individual with dementia, music therapy can be greatly beneficial in improving the quality of life. How does music therapy do this, though? Through the intellectual and sensory stimulation of music, individuals with dementia remain in high spirits. Their minds can be kept engaged meaningfully at the same time.
Music Can Help Individuals Recall Memories
Music has the ability to transport us back to forgotten moments back in time, triggering us to recall memories that we might have completely forgotten about. For example, listening to a childhood song can remind individuals about their days at a playground or a beach. It then becomes obvious how important listening to music can be for individuals who might have a declining memory as it aids in evoking lost memories. Even if your loved ones are unable to entirely recall this memory, just the sound of this music can be very comforting to them. Hence, if you are a caregiver, you can make a playlist for your loved ones that is filled with songs that remind them of their younger days.
Music Can Help Individuals Deal With Unpleasant Emotions
Dementia does not only result in your loved ones forgetting memories that they once held close to themselves. As a caregiver for your parents with dementia, you may have witnessed them becoming more agitated or irritable due to their dementia. Music can therefore help your loved ones calm down and also grapple with their stress more easily. To relax your loved ones, be sure to play music that is calming, such as classical music.
Music Can Help Individuals Get Active
You can also encourage your loved ones to dance along to the music to release some endorphins! Music therapy has been shown to provide physical benefits. When you play music with an upbeat tempo, it can encourage your parents to get active and get some light exercise. Slower music, on the other hand, helps to lower their blood pressure.
Experience Senior Living At Discovery Village At Melbourne
Discovery Village At Melbourne is a retirement community that our residents call home. Here, we believe in our retirees being cared for in a holistic manner, which is why all our residents are exposed to a wide range of services and amenities. For residents with dementia, we have a specialized memory care program that can help manage their symptoms.
