Music and arts therapy

Why music matters in dementia

The brain regions that process music and emotion are relatively preserved in dementia, often even in advanced disease. Music can reach a person when language and memory cannot. Personalised music (music from the person's youth, or music they have loved) consistently produces the strongest responses: improved mood, reduced agitation, increased engagement, and sometimes spontaneous singing of songs the person can no longer otherwise access.

What the evidence shows

Cochrane reviews of music therapy in dementia find:

• Reduced depression and improved emotional wellbeing;
• Reduced anxiety and agitation;
• Improved social engagement and quality of life;
• Modest cognitive benefits in some studies;
• Improved carer-person interaction.

Effects are larger with personalised music than with generic background music. Live music with a music therapist tends to produce larger effects than recorded music alone, although recorded personal music is also effective and far more practical at scale.

Forms of music therapy

Singing for the Brain

The Alzheimer's Society runs Singing for the Brain at over 200 UK locations. Sessions are weekly, lasting 90 minutes, with vocal exercises and familiar songs in a friendly group. Carers attend with the person. A small donation is requested where possible. See Alzheimer's Society.

Music therapy with a music therapist

Music therapists (members of the British Association for Music Therapy) provide individual or group therapy using improvisation, songwriting, listening and singing. Available through the NHS in some regions, hospices, care homes and private providers.

Personalised music playlists

A simple personalised music playlist on a phone or tablet, used regularly, is one of the most practical and impactful interventions. Music Memory and similar apps support this. Use music from the person's teens and twenties as the starting point.

Art therapy

Art therapy uses painting, drawing, clay and other creative media to support expression and engagement. Evidence base is smaller than music therapy but consistent. Available through art therapists (members of the British Association of Art Therapists) and community providers.

Dance and movement

Dance combines music, social interaction and gentle exercise. Dance for Parkinson's and similar programmes are increasingly available for people with dementia in the UK. Benefits include mood, balance, physical fitness and social engagement.

Drama and storytelling

Drama therapy and shared storytelling programmes (notably Timeslips, an international programme using picture prompts to invite imaginative storytelling) support engagement and creativity without testing memory.

Practical tips for music at home

1. Build a playlist from the person's teen and twenties era;
2. Play through a decent speaker or headphones, not a phone speaker;
3. Use familiar music at familiar times (radio in the morning, calmer music in the evening);
4. Sing along if you can; the person often joins in;
5. Watch for the person's responses and follow their lead;
6. Use music to redirect during difficult moments (sundowning, agitation).

Where to access

• Alzheimer's Society Singing for the Brain;
• British Association for Music Therapy (find a therapist directory);
• British Association of Art Therapists;
• Local Memory Cafes;
• Local Age UK and dementia day services;
• Some NHS memory services and hospices.