Music Therapy For Dementia and Alzheimer's

Music therapy products work synergistically for patients with Alzheimer's, dementia and memory loss. We observe that music relieves the stress, anxiety and depression of the patient as well as reducing their agitation. Research has confirmed the benefits of providing people who have dementia with music they remember. The restorative effect of music therapy vastly improves the quality of life at home, mental well-being, and promotes independent living rather than relying on institutional resources.

Caregivers use music therapy as one of their tools to comfort and care for those with dementia. At The Alzheimer's Store, we are continually adding the best Alzheimer's products which will help the patient. Our Music Player is a simple to use, old fashioned looking in style, music box. It is capable of downloading songs from the internet, including verses from the Bible. At facilities, professional caregivers working with music for Alzheimer's patients love our selection of CDs as they are created by music therapy professionals. We also offer a Simple Music Player with One Button Radio.

Moving to the music is a great aerobic activity and using music as therapy is known to increase brain and motor skills. Therapists who add exercise and dance movements to music say it becomes a favorite activity. Tapping a foot, humming a song or dancing to the rhythm of a melody are all good examples of how music can affect one's mood.

Music therapy for dementia patients is very effective when combined with faith. Some of our earliest memories are attending religious based ceremonies which were combined with music.

As caregivers, we are always looking for ways to connect with the one being cared for. Music is one of those ways that can combine motor skills, brain activity, memories and verbalization, all in one.

If you'd like to apply music therapy to help a loved one who has Alzheimer's disease, consider these tips:

• Think about your loved one's preferences. What kind of music does your loved one enjoy? What music evokes memories of happy times in his or her life? Involve family and friends by asking them to suggest songs or make playlists.
• Set the mood. To calm your loved one during mealtime or a morning hygiene routine, play music or sing a song that's soothing. When you'd like to boost your loved one's mood, use faster paced music.
• Avoid overstimulation. When playing music, eliminate competing noises. Turn off the TV. Shut the door. Set the volume based on your loved one's hearing ability. Opt for music that isn't interrupted by commercials, which can cause confusion.
• Encourage movement. Help your loved one to clap along or tap his or her feet to the beat. If possible, dance with your loved one.
• Pay attention to your loved one's response. If your loved one seems to enjoy particular songs, play them often. If your loved one reacts negatively to a particular song or type of music, choose something else.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta said on CNN when explaining the complexity of the brain and how it relates to the music that, "We find that when someone is asked to sing a song, for example, after a brain injury, how many different parts of the brain get utilized. First, you've got to remember the words to that song, and then you've got to carry those words across from one side of the brain to the other, to allow someone to actually begin to say those words. Then you've got to carry a tune. That requires messages going across the middle of the brain as well, and then sometimes you can stand up and do some moves with the music and that can reestablish rhythm."