Music Therapy in Dementia Care

Supporting wellbeing and personhood

Music is a powerful tool for supporting the wellbeing and personhood of people living with dementia. Music therapy can be used to:

• Reduce agitation
• Soothe and improve mood
• Support memory and cognition
• Support movement and motivation
• Reduce isolation and support social connection

Supporting family care partners

As well as supporting people living with dementia, music therapy can support the wellbeing of family members who provide care. If you’re caring for someone living with dementia, you might work with a music therapist to:

• Reduce stress
• Learn skills to support your family member
• Connect with your family member through music

Research and reading

There is a significant amount of research in the area of music therapy and dementia care. If you’re interested in learning more, the following articles provide an overview and opportunity to dive deeper!

Using music and words to bridge dementia