Dementia Research Paper

Dementia and the Medication of Music

Dementia: a disease that attacks the mind, personality, behavior, language, and mood of a patient, as well as their ability to interact with others. This disease attacks the abilities of its victims while leaving them and their families feeling hopeless. Dementia, having no cure, depends on medicine to lessen the symptoms that it reaps on over “thirty-six million people” (Ridder, 2013, p.668). However, this medication sometimes leaves the patient with even more burdens that threaten their life due to the negative side effects that comes along with this fast “remedy” to partially cure the effects of Dementia. Why must people seek medications that partially help other symptoms while causing new complications

within their health? The remedy is not found in a drug, but it is found in an option that has been often overlooked.

Opening the doors to a new remedy that has virtually no negative side effects is what is needed for this disease. The medicine and best cure for Dementia is found within the application of music therapy. The power that music has on a person both mentally and physically is immeasurable. This form of art has endless possibilities, and the affect that it causes within the body is different for every person. With such a beautiful and powerful tool, it is time that something should happen to better the lives of people who are in need of a medicine that is stronger and less toxic to the body. Not only is music therapy inexpensive, but it also carries no negative consequences when applied to patients with Dementia. Numerous studies have proven and shown the positive effect music therapy has on the lives of Dementia patients. More so, “Music draws us together, offering intimacy, creativity, and a lifeline in difficult or confusing times of stress or illness” (Bridges, 2005, p.154). What are we waiting for? Music therapy offers the best medication, carrying the remedy that is needed for the lives and well-being of all people who are

struggling with Dementia (Wall, 2010, p. 108).
When a person is diagnosed with Dementia, the ability to transfer information from short to long-term memory is interrupted. In other words, when faced with new materials and ideas it is nearly impossible to learn new things. Looking at the symptoms associated with Dementia in its early stages, patients will most likely repeat questions (that they already have asked previously), have a misguided judgment, forget where they have placed items, or have difficulty with tasks that are more difficult. As this disease progresses, everyday tasks become less familiar. At the latest stage of Dementia, patients will rely completely on others and language may decay as well as the ability to walk and eat. (Raetz, 2013, p.548). Dementia takes over the body and the mind completely. The time it takes for Dementia to overcome the normal processes of the body can be either a slow moving process or a rapid one. However, the effect that it has on a person cannot be overlooked. Instead of watching the deteriorating health of these patients with Dementia, music therapy needs to be implemented to preserve the life that is still seen and to help reach into the life that they had before being struck with Dementia (Rio, 2009, p.91).
What is music therapy and how can it be applied?

What a great question! Music therapy is used to stimulate and influence behavior, enhance the functioning of the brain while, “addressing needs for relaxation, social interaction, reduction of anxiety, and creative self-expression” (Bridges, 2005, p.149). This type of therapy is music based and can either be active, receptive, or passive. Within active music therapy, there is participation among the patients where they will sing, play instruments, talk or dance. Therapists can bring in Orff instruments for patients to play with, songs to sing along with (relatively easy ones with ostinatos), and dance with music (such as the YMCA or Chicken dance). For receptive (listening), patients can be involved without having to be active. Instead, participants can talk about the music through expressing their memories that are stimulated through listening to a song of their preference or choose to be passive when hearing the music. This approach can stimulate the mind of the patients and increasing communication and language during that time. Along with this, there is the option to play recorded music (cds, cassettes, radio etc.) or have live performers come to play. Live music is especially great because studies show that having live music seems to be the most effective in patients with Dementia (Sherratt, 2004, p.238). As Vasionytė (2013) writes, “live music creates a stronger sense of reality and because the patient can observe the

musicians playing and interact with them” (p.1204). There is always something special about being with the music as it is being played. Perhaps it is because live music creates a livelier atmosphere where there is more to study and watch and the ability to talk and see the musician makes the experience even greater. Within each of these methods, not much experience is needed to create a program that allows patients to interact with music. It does not matter how good of a singer or instrumentalists you are, the real joy comes from being able to hear, feel and see the effect that the music has on the patients.
How and why is music therapy the ideal remedy for a disease that has no mercy on an individual when attacking the brain and body? Right now many probably think that Music therapy is not a real medicine, so as a result, many believe that it cannot have a positive effect on the symptoms that Dementia causes. However, when applying music therapy to patients with Dementia, “a number of studies conducted over the past 20 years have demonstrated positive outcomes such as increased eye contact and vocal activity (Clair, 1996), relaxation and focused attention (Cooper, 1991), decreased agitation and fewer behavioral problems (Clark, 1998; Ragneskog et al., 1996), and improved social interaction (Clair & Bernstein, 1990)” (Kirkland, 2014, p.14). How can music therapy cause so much improvement? Increased eye contact and vocal activity is caused by the involvement of patients in making music, participating in dancing, talking, and watching performers. Relaxation and focused attention is the direct result of patients listening to their preferred music (favorite songs) increasing mood and overall behavior. Improved social interaction also goes hand-in-hand with watching and listening to live performers as well as creating music with other patients. Music therapy is honestly more effective than we will ever know. If we take the time to apply this therapy to aid in improving the symptoms that Dementia causes on its patients, the overall well-being and health of these patients would drastically increase. For a moment, think of the last time you heard your favorite song. How did hearing and listening to this song make you feel? Isn’t it so awesome how music can take you to your own world, relieving all your worries for that given moment. We are so consumed with the power of music, so why not share it with everyone?
Although there is an abundance of information that supports the implementation of music therapy within patients with Dementia, there is still so much left to be done in the study of music therapy. The main reason why music therapy is not offered to patients is due to the lack of sufficient evidence. As Spiro (2010) writes, “there is only partial understanding of the processes underlying the interventions and results of music therapy” (p. 891). There is evidence that supports the case of Music Therapy in Dementia patients, but it is not enough to bring a change in therapy received. Along with this, in many places Music Therapy is not even thought of mainly because many do not realize how effective this therapy is. Coupled with this, nurses and staff feel ill-prepared to take on the task of implementing a music therapy program for their patients.
Music therapy provides an amazing opportunity for every person. If we take the time to consider the possibilities that music can create in the lives of those with Dementia, we can come a little closer to them coming back to the life they once had and remember. Still, there is so much more to do for music therapy to become a normal therapy that is offered everywhere for patients with Dementia. There needs to be more research and information spread about the cause that music has on patients with Dementia for the cause of music therapy to be taken seriously. Also, it is important for nursing staffs to attend conferences and workshops centered on music therapy to learn more about how to establish a music therapy program in the workplace (Huei-Chuan, 2011, p.1780). The significance of participation means the difference of a family being able to communicate with their family member. Music therapy allows a person to become alive once again, to grasp the taste of their old life before Dementia took their life hostage. Music allows a person to be welcomed into their life once again. Communication, attention, cognitive ability, and eye contact is given back to them. Ultimately, it is within music therapy that patients with Dementia are given the remedy and medication to heal in a way that does not hurt them physically, mentally, or internally.