Medicine from SOUND? That’s music to my ears.
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
How will non-medication dementia treatments, like music listening, play out?
This challenge struck a chord with Naomi Thompson and team from Anglia Ruskin University.
At dementia-specialized care centers, music therapists trained staff and families. Singing, playing instruments, and listening to tunes became part of patient care.
That’s been done before. But actually studying these programs is untreaded ground.
Would people even participate? Yes! More than ninety percent of patients, families, and staff participated.
Survey says? Musical therapy slightly decreased disruptiveness and improved quality of life!
Sounds like care centers could be the next great stage for music! Encore!
Thompson, N., Odell-Miller, H., Pointon C., et al. Music therapy embedded in the life of dementia inpatient care to help prevent and manage distress: a feasibility study to inform a future trial. Front. Psychiatry 16:1618324 (2025). doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1618324