Harnessing the Healing Power of Music in Dementia Care

Music has a unique ability to reach deep into the emotions, offering comfort, solace, and connection—especially for those living with dementia.

As cognitive functions decline, the capacity to communicate verbally often diminishes, but the power of music remains an accessible form of emotional regulation and spiritual connection.

Whether through familiar tunes or calming melodies, music can evoke memories, soothe distress, and create moments of profound connection.

The role of music in emotional regulation and spiritual connection is a vital component of dementia care. By incorporating music into daily routines, carers can support the emotional and spiritual needs of individuals with dementia, helping them maintain a sense of self, connection to the past, and emotional well-being.

Using platforms like Evaheld, families can document preferred music, meaningful songs, and specific therapeutic music activities, storing this information securely in the Evaheld Legacy Vault for easy access by all carers.

Why Music is Powerful for People with Dementia

According to Advance Care Planning Australia, music therapy offers several key benefits for individuals with dementia:

• Elicits emotional responses: Music can help the person reconnect with long-lost emotions and memories
• Reduces anxiety and agitation: Familiar songs and calming music can decrease feelings of confusion or fear
• Stimulates cognitive function: Music activates various parts of the brain, improving memory recall and attention
• Fosters spiritual connection: Music can evoke a sense of belonging, comfort, and peace, especially when it aligns with personal or religious beliefs

Dementia Support Australia highlights that musical engagement can help people with dementia experience moments of lucidity, providing a sense of purpose and well-being even in the later stages of the condition.

How Music Affects Emotional Regulation

For individuals with dementia, emotional regulation can become challenging as cognitive abilities decline. Music provides a means to calm agitation, alleviate stress, and reduce depression:

• Soothing melodies can help to regulate mood, creating a sense of peace
• Upbeat rhythms can lift spirits, encourage movement, and promote engagement
• Personalised playlists can evoke cherished memories, triggering positive emotions
• Religious or cultural music can offer spiritual comfort and support a sense of identity

Research by Nurse Info shows that familiar music from a person’s past is particularly effective in reducing anxiety and increasing relaxation, as it taps into deeper memories and emotional responses that may remain intact even in advanced dementia stages.

Spiritual Connection Through Music

Music can also serve as a spiritual tool for individuals with dementia, offering comfort and a deeper sense of connection to their faith and beliefs.

Religious or sacred music, such as hymns, chants, or prayers, can evoke a sense of peace and provide emotional and spiritual sustenance. For many people, music is intertwined with spiritual experiences, such as attending church, singing with loved ones, or hearing a familiar prayer.

Family Legacy Series notes that incorporating spiritual songs or religious music into the care plan can help individuals feel grounded and connected to their faith, even when their verbal communication abilities are diminished.

Step-by-Step: Integrating Music into Dementia Care

1. Create Personalised Playlists

One of the most effective ways to use music in dementia care is by curating personalised playlists that include the individual’s favourite songs and music from significant moments in their life:

• Include songs from their youth, favourite genres, or music that they enjoyed with family
• Incorporate calming melodies for moments of distress or anxiety
• Include religious hymns or sacred music if it aligns with their spiritual beliefs

Use Evaheld to track music preferences and document favourite songs, ensuring that carers can easily access this information to create tailored playlists that promote emotional and spiritual well-being.

2. Engage in Active Music Listening

Listening to music can be an interactive and immersive experience:

• Encourage the person to sing along or clap to the rhythm of the song
• Play music together as a family activity or group event
• Discuss the memories evoked by the music, helping the individual re-engage with past experiences

Evaheld blog shares stories from families who have created shared musical moments that foster emotional connection, reduce anxiety, and improve overall mood.

3. Use Music to Facilitate Communication

For individuals whose verbal communication is becoming more difficult, music can serve as an alternative form of communication:

• Sing songs together to express emotions, even when verbal communication is limited
• Use musical cues or rhythmic patterns to facilitate interaction, whether by tapping along to the beat or humming together
• Encourage spontaneous music creation, such as tapping an instrument or making simple rhythmic sounds

Dementia Support Australia highlights how musical engagement can lead to unexpected breakthroughs in communication, particularly when it taps into deep memories or emotions.

4. Incorporate Music into Daily Routines

Integrating music into daily routines can help provide structure, comfort, and continuity:

• Play familiar tunes during meals, bathing, or dressing to provide consistency and structure
• Use music to encourage movement during exercise or calming rituals before bedtime
• Create morning playlists to start the day with a positive, uplifting tone

Advance Care Planning Australia suggests using music as part of a holistic care plan that includes physical, emotional, and spiritual support, ensuring that all needs are met throughout the dementia journey.

Supporting the Sandwich Generation

For adult children balancing caregiving with other responsibilities:

• Evaheld enables you to store music preferences and create playlists that can be shared across different caregivers, ensuring consistency
• Using digital music tools makes it easy for long-distance caregivers to engage in musical therapy sessions
• Incorporating music as a family activity can strengthen bonds and help reduce stress for both the person with dementia and the caregiver

Online Will Blog recommends including music preferences in the advance care plan to ensure that caregivers can easily implement music therapy when needed.

In Residential and Home Care Settings

Ensure carers:

• Are trained in the therapeutic use of music and know how to create personalised playlists for individuals
• Use music as part of a structured care routine to support emotional well-being
• Regularly review and update the person’s music preferences to ensure engagement

Dementia Support Australia provides resources for carers on using music to improve emotional regulation and foster spiritual connection in dementia care settings.

Final Thoughts

Music has the profound ability to support both emotional regulation and spiritual connection in individuals with dementia.

By incorporating music into daily routines, creating personalised playlists, and fostering emotional engagement through songs, families and carers can provide a comforting, effective form of therapy that reaches deep into the heart and mind.

With Evaheld, you can document music preferences, track emotional responses, and create personalised care plans that include music as a powerful therapeutic tool to enhance well-being and spiritual connection.