MUSIC
"Through music, we can empower individuals with
dementia to remember that they are still a person, that
their values still matter, and their contribution to their community is important."
Can Music Reduce Agitation?
Rosanna Mead is the Director of Musica Music and Wellbeing CIC, a social enterprise which supports the dementia journey through music, and is also a PhD, Sociology student concentrating on music and dementia care. Here, she answers the above question.
In a nutshell, yes. Music can help to reduce agitation in people living with dementia if used in a person-centred way. This means using your knowledge of the individual, their life history, musical preferences and considering where they are at in terms of emotional, physical and mental wellbeing at that current moment in time. I think this introduction demonstrates how complex music can be within dementia care- it should never be considered as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.
Before I delve into this further, I want to start with an important caveat which is oſten unspoken in the promotion of the benefits of music in dementia care, and may sound surprising coming from an academic and community musician who spends her days advocating the benefits of music, but here goes - it is important to remember, if we are to truly adopt a person-centred approach, we need to be aware of the fact that music won’t be beneficial for everyone, in fact listening to music may at times have negative results, and may actually increase agitation.
I think, as carers and advocates of music in dementia care, if we can accept that music won’t always work and nor should it, then we will truly be able to embed music into dementia care
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in the appropriate way. Music (if used correctly) can become another tool at your disposal in creating the highest quality care provision for people living with dementia. How then can music help to reduce agitation in dementia care? First, let’s look at what causes agitation. In my experience, both as an ethnographic researcher and a community musician, agitation stems from unmet social needs and disconnection between the person living with dementia, their environment, carers and, ultimately, themselves. I think, if we focus on agitation stemming from unmet social needs, we will be able to adopt a needs-based approach, recognising the triggers for each individual and to provide a supportive environment which reduces these triggers from occurring in the first place.
Over the past 10 years working in dementia care, I’ve been struck by deep sadness at times when I have witnessed the disconnect which can occur for people living with dementia, disconnected from themselves, their loved ones and carers; this lack of social connection oſten manifesting itself in agitation. Observing this disconnect and the effect this can have on the person living with dementia, their carers, family and those around them, has really brought home the need for meaningful connections.
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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