Over the course of four months, a group of researchers examined the impact of singing familiar songs on people with moderate to severe dementia living in a nursing home. The residents participated in 50-minute group music sessions three times a week. Half of the participants merely listened to the music, while the other half sang along to well-known show tunes, such as “The Sound of Music,” “When You Wish Upon a Star,” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
Before and after these music sessions, participants took two cognitive tests. Prior to the group session, all of the residents with moderate dementia faired about the same, as did those with severe dementia. After the group session, however, those who participated in the sing along had better results on their cognitive tests than those who did not.
The researchers concluded, “These data show that participation in an active singing program for an extended period of time can improve cognition in patients with moderate to severe dementia.” Considering that the study focused specifically on people in the later stages, the results are particularly encouraging.
At our Bridges communities, we know firsthand the benefits of creating an engaging lifestyle for people with dementia. We frequently invite local musicians to our communities to sing for and with our residents. With extensive experience performing in memory-care communities, these entertainers know just the right songs to sing to connect with our residents and help jog their memories.
As the Alzheimer’s Society says, “Even when many memories are hard to retrieve, music is especially easy to recall.” That said, singing is a great way to engage and stimulate people with memory impairment. So if you have a neighbor, loved one, or client with dementia, consider spending time singing with them each week. Not only can it be a lot of fun, you’ll be doing them a world of good.
The study was presented at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego in November.