TL;DR
Turn quiet afternoons into listening time
- Thousands of audiobooks, podcasts and originals
- Listen on your phone, tablet or Echo — also offline
- Cancel anytime
A Being Patient report describes how familiar, personalized music may help people with dementia feel more engaged and improve mood during or after listening. A 2025 Cochrane review found probable improvement in depressive symptoms, but little evidence of lasting effects on cognition or agitation; music does not reverse or stop dementia.
Personalized music may help people with dementia feel more engaged and improve mood, according to research and clinical experience discussed in a Being Patient report. The report also stresses that music does not reverse or stop dementia, and that evidence for lasting changes in cognition or agitation is limited.
The report draws on the work of Concetta Tomaino, a music therapist and executive director and co-founder of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function. She recalled that, during a nursing-home placement in the 1970s, some residents who appeared unresponsive were able to sing familiar lyrics when she sang to them. Tomaino has spent decades studying how music may remain accessible even as other abilities decline.
One study cited in the report involved 51 people with dementia at adult day health centers. Participants listened to personalized playlists through headphones for 20 minutes. Researchers reported increases afterward in observed joy, eye contact, eye movement, engagement and talkativeness, and a decrease in sleeping. The study’s lead author, Dr. Emily Ihara of George Mason University, said the results led her team to develop online training for direct-care workers.
A 2025 update of the Cochrane review combined results from 30 studies involving 1,720 people with dementia, most of them in care homes. It found that music therapy probably improves depressive symptoms and may improve overall behavior. The review found little evidence of longer-term effects on cognition or agitation, and reported that effects may fade in the weeks after sessions stop.
Music’s Potential in Everyday Dementia Care
The findings point to music as a possible practical support for quality of life, rather than a treatment for the underlying disease. A familiar song may offer a way to encourage interaction or provide comfort when a person has difficulty communicating through speech. The observed changes after a short listening session suggest that music can affect a person’s immediate experience, although they do not establish long-term benefits.
The report describes caregivers using familiar playlists during disruptions to routine, such as travel to an appointment or the unsettled period after a family video call. It also describes quiet music before bedtime as a possible support for rest. These examples reflect caregiving practice, not proof that music will work the same way for every person or resolve sleep difficulties.
For families and care workers, the distinction matters: music can be used as an accessible activity, but expectations should remain measured and individualized. The review’s limits mean it should not be presented as a substitute for medical care or as a way to slow dementia.
Products Worth Considering
Bose TV Speaker Compact Soundbar with Bluetooth and HDMI-ARC, Black
Bose TV Speaker (2nd Gen) Compact Soundbar with Bluetooth and HDMI-ARC, Black
Bose S1 Pro+ Portable PA Speaker
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Why Familiar Songs May Remain Accessible
Music engages several brain systems, rather than one isolated area. The report describes activity involving the auditory cortex, which processes sound; the cerebellum, involved in coordinating movement; and areas associated with memory and emotion, including the hippocampus and amygdala. Enjoyable music can also engage reward pathways involving dopamine.
Tomaino’s explanation is that musical memories and attachments are embedded in deeper brain networks that may remain more robust as dementia progresses than some abilities linked to the cortex. This may help explain why a person can respond to a song without being able to identify it or name the person playing it. The report presents this as an explanation supported by clinical experience and research, while noting that scientists do not yet have a complete answer.
“They not only came to life in the moment, but were able to sing the words.”
— Concetta Tomaino, executive director and co-founder of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function
Limits of the Evidence and Its Effects
The research does not show that music can change the course of dementia. The Cochrane review found little evidence of longer-term effects on cognition or agitation, and any benefits may lessen after sessions end. The report does not establish how long observed changes last or which people are most likely to respond.
The 51-person study measured outcomes after a 20-minute session, so its findings concern short-term observed responses. The supplied report also does not provide enough detail to compare different playlist formats, session schedules or types of music. Effects may vary by personal history, preference, setting and stage of dementia; the best approach for an individual cannot be determined from these results alone.
Training and Regular Music Sessions
Ihara’s team is developing online training for direct-care workers in long-term care communities, following the personalized-playlist study. The report does not give a launch date or describe what the training will include.
Further research will be needed to clarify whether regular music sessions produce benefits that last beyond the listening period, and which outcomes are most reliably affected. For now, the evidence described supports using music as a person-centered activity while keeping expectations limited and treating it as a complement to, not a replacement for, dementia care.
Key Questions
Can music treat or reverse dementia?
No. The report says music cannot reverse or stop dementia. Research suggests it may support mood, engagement or behavior, but it is not a treatment for the disease itself.
What did the 2025 Cochrane review find?
The review pooled 30 studies with 1,720 participants. It found that music therapy probably improves depressive symptoms and may improve overall behavior, but found little evidence of longer-term effects on cognition or agitation.
Why might familiar music prompt a response?
Music involves brain systems linked to sound, movement, memory, emotion and reward. Tomaino suggests that musical memories may be held in deeper networks that can remain more robust as dementia progresses, although researchers do not have a complete explanation.
How have caregivers used music?
The report describes caregivers using familiar playlists during changes in routine or environment, including travel to appointments, and as part of calming activities. It also discusses quiet music before bed, while noting that the results may vary from person to person.
Source: rss
