Music, Art, Alzheimer’s, and Dementia
Interventions that help both people suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia, as well as their caregivers
One of my close relatives suffered from Alzheimer’s dementia, but I was not yet born at the time. I can only imagine how hard it was for the people taking care of her and the burden they experienced. Even though I wish nobody ill, nor for them to be someone’s caregiver, reality shows us differently, and we have to be prepared.
Before moving on, I think it’s important to point out the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia, as people tend to mix them up from what I’ve seen.
Dementia is not a specific disease. “It’s an umbrella term that describes a wide range of symptoms” such as memory loss, confusion, language and understanding problems, and behavior changes. People suffering from dementia often need help with day-to-day tasks. Dementia is caused by diseases that damage the brain, one of them being Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects the brain. The first part affected is the one associated with learning, so early symptoms often include changes in memory and thinking. As the disease advances, in the later stages of Alzheimer’s, it eventually causes so much damage that the person develops dementia (also called Alzheimer’s dementia).
The progression of Alzheimer’s is responsible for 60–80% of dementia cases, so one individual does not necessarily need to be priorly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s to develop dementia. Out of the 60–80% of Alzheimer’s caused dementia cases, most of the patients suffer from at least one other cause of dementia, as found by a study looking at 447 people.
“Having Alzheimer’s brain changes plus brain changes of another type of dementia increases one’s chance of having dementia symptoms in one’s lifetime compared with someone with Alzheimer’s brain changes alone.”
The other 20–40% are caused by over 100 diseases, like Huntington’s disease, and vascular dementia.
In 2023, more than 55 million people suffer from dementia globally, with 10 million new cases being diagnosed each year.
An estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older suffer from Alzheimer’s dementia, of them 73% percent are age 75 or older.
Women and men are disproportionately affected by dementia. The risk that someone will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia during their lifetime in the USA, calculated at 45 years among people who are not suffering from the disease was 1 in 10 for men and 1 in 5 for women.
As I said before, we need to be prepared given the circumstances.
As current medicine can only slow the progress of the disease in some cases, more and more people from the scientific community are focusing on developing and testing non-pharmacological interventions to increase the quality of life of these patients and lower the burden on their caregivers. Such interventions are music and art.
1. Music therapy
For me, turning on the music I listened to when I was a kid has always been a safe retreat. It’s almost like I’m back in one of the pillow fortresses I used to build and feel invincible. It appears that’s the case in people suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia too.
Even in the late stages of Alzheimer’s, a person may be able to tap a beat or sing lyrics to a song from childhood. — Alzheimer’s Association
One study found that the state of mood and cognitive function in women with dementia improved after daily 30-minute sessions of physical exercise done with music playing in the background. Another study looking at 38 patients found that the music therapy group significantly reduced activity disturbances, and mildly reduced aggressiveness and anxiety, symptoms found in moderate-to-late-stage Alzheimer’s and dementia.
The use of music therapy proved to be more effective than reading music lyrics to 300 people suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. “Music therapy improved verbal fluency and alleviated their psychiatric symptoms”. Caregivers’ distress levels also lowered after music therapy, improving their quality of life. Other studies suggest that music may reduce agitation and improve behavioral issues that are common in the middle stages of the disease.
Overall, music therapy seems promising. Even if not a cure yet, it has great potential of increasing the quality of life of both caregivers and patients, as well as boost interaction between the two.
2. Art therapy
Even though I don’t consider myself much of an artist, I still like to sketch sometimes. I mostly like to draw some lines for the future food plating I am going to do. I love cooking and I find drawing inspiring in the creative process.
Artistic engagement can induce “flow”. This is a state of mind characterized by intense enjoyment, satisfaction, and concentration. It is experienced when we are engaged in an intrinsically rewarding activity, and the theory was first described when studying artists. People with Alzheimer’s and dementia can benefit from this type of art as they can experience “flow” as well.
Studies have shown that people with mild dementia can express depth, proportion, and detail in their artwork. Those with moderate dementia can draw forms and figures, and even those with severe symptoms of dementia can still draw art, making geometric, abstract-looking figures.
One 12-week painting study enrolled 28 mild Alzheimer’s patients. At the end of the study, they showed reduced anxiety, improved quality of life, improved digit span, and reduced depression symptoms. This type of therapy also had positive effects on cognitive and psychological symptoms.
Another study found that dementia patients in the painting group showed improved immediate memory and working memory span. Moreover, they found that the cortical thickness in the right middle frontal gyrus, affected by dementia, had increased.
Alzheimer’s Association recommends these 5 tips for people engaging in art therapy with their elderly suffering from middle Alzheimer’s to late-stage Alzheimer’s (here, symptoms of dementia are always present):
- Keep the project/painting you are doing on an adult level. Do not treat them like a child.
- Discuss the art project they are doing. Ask them what it means to them or what it reminds them of. Encourage them and actively engage in the activity.
- If the chosen art project is painting, you may need to help them by starting the brushing movement.
- Be careful with the tools you use. Avoid toxic substances and sharp objects.
- Block a few hours in your agenda for this activity. Let them express themselves. Keep in mind that they don’t have to finish the project in one session.
Other non-pharmaceutical recommendations I found useful in my analysis are active community participation, time spent outdoors, active participation in cultural activities, and rediscovering hobbies. They have all shown improvement in Alzheimer’s and dementia symptoms.
Thank you so much for reading this article!
Until the next time, stay safe and informed, people!
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