Resources & references

Leticia Prieto Alvarez, a music therapist at Hebrew Senior Life, explains the benefits of music therapy for older adults and provides examples of active music therapy experiences in group and individual settings. 

Watch a video demonstrating some of the uses of music therapy at the Montreal Chinese Hospital. Music therapist Josephine Lee sings in both Cantonese and Mandarin. Interviews are also featured in French, English and Mandarin about both the music therapy services and the Montreal Chinese Hospital Foundation in general.

Mental health dementia wards in the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom provide specialist care for people with dementia experiencing acute levels of distress. This study tested the feasibility of delivering a standardised music therapy protocol on these wards and the suitability of the research methods.

Researchers at the University of Limerick discuss their respective studies in music therapy and arts-based research among older adults with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Presentations include testimonials and music performances used in arts-based research.

Symphony musicians, a music therapist, and a speech language pathologist work together with dementia patients to facilitate a therapeutic experience that enhances long term memories, reminiscence, and quality of life.

Watch as music therapist Kelsey MacDonald provides music therapy sessions to a patient with dementia at Aberdeen Hospital and listen to testimonials from the patient's daughter and the director of the palliative care unit.

Watch a video about music therapy in an aged care center. The music therapist discusses how he approaches his job in this setting, and gives examples of how music therapy has helped certain clients.

This article explores the evidence-based benefits of music therapy among adults with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It references existing research showing how music enhances communication, cognitive functioning, physical activity, memory, reality orientation, and quality of life.

Learn more about the benefits of music therapy by seeing a music therapy experience in action 

This reference book offers a  comprehensive look at the use of music therapy with elderly and those living with dementia based on the research and experience of experts from around the world. It can serve as a resource for caregivers and families of individuals with dementia or Alzheimer's disease and for music therapists.

Click here to see an example of how music therapy has been used in dementia care.

Heather Overly, a board-certified music therapist leads a music therapy session with an older adult in hospice care. She explains how music therapy can improve quality of life among this population.

Discover a group music therapy session in Spanish designed for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease—one that supports physical movement, stimulates cognitive abilities, enhances interpersonal connection, and encourages emotional expression.

Learn more about the benefits of music therapy for individuals with dementia and Alzheimer's disease

Learn more about music therapy in Spanish

The objective of this study was to explore the effects of an interdisciplinary singing-based therapeutic intervention (ParkinSong) on voice and communication in people with Parkinson’s disease. The results show that ParkinSong is an engaging intervention with the potential to increase loudness and respiratory function in people with mild to moderately severe PD.