A report from the American Music Therapy Association concludes that interactive
music therapy can bene?t Alzheimer’s disease patients at every stage of
dementia, including the most advanced. At early stages of the disease, music making
is a crucial tool in the alleviation of depression, boredom, and anxiety. During
the middle stage, playing, listening to, and discussing music provides a touchstone
for memory that is a source of comfort and stimulation for the mind.
Even patients who are debilitated to the point of non-communication and confusion
have been shown to become alert when involved in a music therapy group,
the report observes, communicating through non-verbal means and showing
calmness if agitation and aggression have become a problem. For the Alzheimer’s
disease patient, the report states, music is a gift that reveals hidden sources of
creativity and restores a sense of personhood.
This article appeared in Making Music Magazine (March/April 2005).
