Music and Dementia

Senior man listening to headphonesSusan Gallagher-Lepak, professor of nursing, shared insights on the value of music to individuals with dementia in the December 8 edition of the Green Bay Press Gazette. Her article titled, “Powerful gift for people with dementia: Music”, describes  research from a recent issue of the scientific journal Brain about the resilience of the brain with musical memory in cases of dementia. This is especially true for well-known music. Gallagher-Lepak suggests translation of the research into practice by playing familiar music throughout the holidays for individuals with dementia and their families. Developing a playlist of favorite music, for example, can be a gift and reap psychological and behavioral benefits. Other examples, such as use of a music app for dementia patients, are also given. The article is online at greenbaypressgazette.com.