Abstract
Due to advances in medical knowledge the population of older adults struggling with issues of aging like Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and stroke is growing. There is a need for therapeutic interventions to provide adaptive strategies to sustain quality of life, decrease neurologic impairment, and maintain or slow cognitive decline and function due to degenerative neurologic diseases. Musical interventions with adults with cognitive impairments have received increased attention over the past few years, such as the value of personalized music listening in the iPod project for AD (1); music as a tool to decrease agitation and anxiety in dementia (2); and music to aid in episodic memory (3); Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation as rehabilitation for PD (4); and recently the potential of 40 Hz sensory brain stimulation with AD and PD (5, 6). These approaches indicate the expanding scope and efficacy of music therapy and the potential mechanisms involved. This paper explicates a four-level model of mechanisms of music response (7, 8) that may help understand current music therapy approaches and treatments and help focus future research. Each level will be illustrated with research and suggestions for research directions.
Highlights
“The fact that music is implicated in so many different types of interventions relating to health and wellbeing underscores the belief that being moved or touched by music cannot be held purely as a metaphor, which renders music as mere embellishment of our daily lives” [(9), p. 3]
With respect to the geriatric population, understanding this can lead to more intentional inclusion of music therapy interventions for a variety of older adults with varying diagnoses
Several conclusions can be drawn from this examination of a model of response mechanisms for music in therapy
Summary
Musical interventions with adults with cognitive impairments have received increased attention over the past few years, such as the value of personalized music listening in the iPod project for AD [1]; music as a tool to decrease agitation and anxiety in dementia [2]; and music to aid in episodic memory [3]; Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation as rehabilitation for PD [4]; and recently the potential of 40 Hz sensory brain stimulation with AD and PD [5, 6] These approaches indicate the expanding scope and efficacy of music therapy and the potential mechanisms involved.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
