5 Music Therapy Ideas For Seniors & Its Benefits
Introduction
As the Baby Boomer generation is fast approaching their retirement date, they are experiencing a transition in career, health and social life. While many are excited to start this new phase their lives feel lost and that they have no idea how to start. The Senior Citizen is another group of people who may be experiencing some of these feelings. As this group becomes progressively older, they may find that all the memories from previous years are starting to fade making it harder to recall what was happening when. This can lead them into depression or anxiety attacks which may cause them not want to do anything or be happy with anything at all.
Music therapy is a beneficial form of treatment that can be used to improve the quality of life for seniors or individuals with physical or cognitive limitations. It does not require any special equipment and can merely be done within the confines of one’s home.
Types Of Music Therapy Ideas For Seniors
1. Exercise & Movement
This form of music therapy is geared towards the healthcare field and focuses on getting the body moving. The idea is to get people out of their chairs, interacting with their environment and finding new ways to express themselves physically through movement. There are many health benefits from exercise and movement; however, it can also be used to help them avoid falling.
Benefits:
A. Decreased pain, improved mobility, increased strength, decreased falls .
Drawbacks:
A. Not all bodies will be able to participate in this type of activity comfortably enough for children so it’s important for the caregiver or therapist to adjust the level of difficulty for each patient.
B. Other potential drawbacks include increased risk of injury due to lack of coordination.
2. Music And/Or Sound Activities
These types of activities focus on harnessing the power of sound such as singing, or other musical instruments like drums, congas, and bells. These instruments are not only used within the group but also individually to enhance communication practices such as talking, listening and problem solving. This form of music therapy can be used to help improve communication skills, memory recall and cognitive abilities.
Benefits:
A. Improves social interaction & verbal skills and reduces emotional distress.
B. Improves concentration & cognitive functioning through increased engagement with care providers & peers. Can also be used to improve motor skills & coordination.
C. Increased muscle tone, strength and endurance through increased flexibility and/or range of motion. Improved gait, balance & weight bearing
Drawbacks:
A. May be uncomfortable for the patient due to increasing their range of motion.
B. Could potentially decrease motivation due to the more “introspective” aspect of this type of therapy. Patients may feel more self-conscious due to a lack of privacy (percussion instruments are usually played in pairs or small groups in front of each other).
3. Music Appreciation
This type of music therapy focuses on creating an environment that resonates with the client, allowing them to take in music and interpret it in their own way (i.e. watching a video of a song and talking about what makes the song special, creating a playlist for a certain memory or event and talking about how the music has helped them remember it) or even taking them on a field trip to perform/experience different kinds of music. This can be helpful if they have trouble expressing themselves (due to lack of vocabulary, speech difficulties such as stuttering, or emotional distress).
Benefits:
A. Can be used as an alternative means of communication for patients who are having difficulty with verbalization.
B. Can be used to create a safe space for self-expression (which can lead to greater feelings of comfort and contentment). This form of music therapy allows patients to take in their favorite songs and interpret them in their own way.
Drawbacks:
A. This therapy requires the patient to have some degree of music appreciation before they will be able to benefit from it.
4. Music Integration
This form of music therapy is geared towards using therapeutic songs within a patient’s current treatment plans. It can be used in order to help treat symptoms of anxiety, depression or cognitive disorders (such as dementia), or simply for relaxation purposes. This type of music therapy can be helpful for the patient in order to decrease symptoms of distress, increase feelings of well-being and relaxation. This form of therapy can also be beneficial to reintegrate the patient back into their community by increasing comfort around others.
Benefits:
A. Can be used in a variety of settings (community-based programs, residential programs, hospital settings, rehabilitation centers) with a wide range of patients.
B. Can be used for patients who may find it difficult to participate in other types of music therapy because it will not require that they perform/move in any way.
C. Can decrease anxiety, depression and other emotional symptoms.
Drawbacks:
A. It requires the patient to have some degree of music appreciation before they will be able to benefit from it.
5. Music Therapy Videos/CDs
These types of therapy’s focus on providing patients with a means of practicing music or listening to music in order to promote speech or language development. This can decrease stuttering and emotional distress (dementia). It can also be used simply for relaxation purposes by listening to music while doing other activities (like sitting in bed or watching television).
Benefits Of Music Therapy Ideas For Seniors
1. Improved mood
2. Reduced anxiety and stress
3. Enhanced aerobic capacity and endurance
4. Increased muscle tone and strength due to coordination, rhythm, tempo, musical complexity
and volume control
5. Increased sleep quality
6. Improved memory function through increased concentration
7. Improved non verbal communication skills such as understanding facial expressions, body language and tone of voice.
8. Improved attention span
9. Improved sensory motor skills such as balance and gait, fine & gross motor coordination, visual tracking and focus
10. Reduced symptoms of dementia (memory loss, confusion) by enhancing memory function. Music therapy has been shown to increase fluid intelligence, cognitive flexibility and higher order executive functions (i.e. planning, organization), which are known to decline with age. These higher order executive functions are thought to be a key component of global cognition.
Conclusion
Overall, no matter which type of music therapy is used the goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment for patients (or clients) of all ages and stages. For older adults or those with dementia, it can be especially useful in providing some form of communication or social engagement that they may otherwise not be able to achieve on their own. It may also be beneficial to the caregiver by providing them with the opportunity to create a more therapeutic