Striking a chord

The challenges experienced by older people as they face a decline in their physical and cognitive health are not easy to navigate. For those living with dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions, those challenges are magnified. As carers, family members or friends, how can we help?  Is there anything we can do to alleviate some of the anxiety, sadness and challenging behaviours that so often accompany these conditions? How can we bring some hope and joy into their lives?  

Music can be part of the answer. Music touches all of us, it changes how we feel and how we act. As Martin Luther, the 16th century theologian, wrote: ‘music alone produces what otherwise only theology can do, namely a calm and joyful disposition’. But for those living with dementia, music can be much more. Oliver Sacks (1933-2015), a neurologist, wrote, ‘it can provide access, even when no medication can, to movement, to speech, to life’. Indeed, for those in the late stages of dementia, music may be their only means of engaging with the world.  

The broadcaster Alexander Armstrong has written of his first-hand experience of the power of music: ‘I’ve seen how dementia patients who are non-verbal suddenly are unlocked by music. You see faces that have almost collapsed and suddenly the spark comes on and the music brings them back into the room. Nothing else does that’. As Sacks believed, music for them is not a luxury but a necessity. 

The big question that we therefore have to ask ourselves is this: How can we use music so that the people we care for experience its benefits?  

That is the question that I have been trying to answer for several years.  

I have selected some ideas that you can try. They are all suitable for one-to-one use in the home and none need any musical expertise. Some are for people with more advanced symptoms of dementia. 

One way of engaging with music is to simply listen to it. That should be easy to implement - but first, we need to ask the question, What music? What music will be most effective? The answer lies with the individual person. What music do they enjoy? What music holds particular meaning to them? What music have they listened to throughout their life? There is no point listening to Bach or Mozart, because you think it might be good for them, if they don’t like it. So try and find out what music is important to them. Are they churchgoers? If so, what are their favourite hymns? If they can’t communicate their preferences, try asking family members and friends. To make it easier, there are websites that can help: www.playlistforlife.org.uk or https://app.musicformymind.com

Some top tips for listening...

Make listening to music a daily activity. Listen for about half an hour, making sure that the volume is at the right level. Listen together if possible – the music may evoke memories that you can then talk about. If the music triggers a negative response – perhaps it evokes a sad memory – replace it with something else

See if there are suitable daytime concerts in your local area e.g. free mid-week church/community concerts or concerts specifically for people with dementia. Make sure the programme aligns with the person’s musical preferences

If there are times of the day that are particularly stressful – e.g. getting washed or dressed, eating or in the evenings – try playing a selection of calm music before and during those times

Choose music to play at specific times during the day. You could have one song that you always play before lunch, another before a regular activity. They will begin to associate the music with the activity and will know what is happening next

If they attend physiotherapy or exercise sessions, put music on in the background to increase motivation and make the session more enjoyable

Putting music centre stage...

Dr Fiona Costa has done training on music in care homes with our staff. Simon, our Activities and Community Engagement (ACE) Facilitator at Finborough Court, Great Finborough, shares how he’s been inspired to embrace music with even more gusto.

“One of the first things I did was move my piano out of the corner of the lounge. I used to sit facing the wall, which didn’t make much sense as I couldn’t see the ‘family members’ [those who live with us] and they couldn’t see me. Looking out into the room makes it much more interactive.

“I’d realised that, aside from devotions, mornings in our care home can be quite quiet, and that music was an obvious way to engage people. Now, on a Thursday morning, we do an extended sing-along session. Emma, our Hummingbird, calls it ‘Making a joyful noise’. We’ll offer our family members instruments – shakers, tambourines and bells – and hand out words to old favourite tunes.

“Some family members join in enthusiastically, doing actions, and even some of those living with advanced dementia join in. You see their lips moving along with the words which is very special. Quite a few relatives and staff also join us for this session, which is lovely. The music transcends the room and brings us all together.”

This feature first appeared in the Autumn 2026 edition of The Pilgrims’ Magazine. See here.

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