Impact of Alzheimer's Dementia on Caregivers and Quality Improvement through Art and Music Therapy.

Laura-Cristina Popa,Adela Magdalena Ciobanu,Diana Velcea,Ion Șalapa,Mihnea Costin Manea,Mirela Manea

doi:10.3390/healthcare9060698

Laura-Cristina Popa, Adela Magdalena Ciobanu + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9060698

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Abstract

Dementia is a general term for a series of medical conditions that affect the brain and evolve progressively. According to the literature, there are over 200 subtypes and causes of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) being the most common in elderly people. AD is an irreversible progressive neurodegenerative condition that leads to a decline in mental function, enough to disrupt daily life. Thinking skills slowly deteriorate, which, in advanced stages, makes it impossible to perform simple tasks. Besides the change in the quality of life of AD patients and their families, there is a considerable alteration in the quality of life of their caregivers, whose health can be negatively affected by the development of mental and somatic disorders. This article reviews the literature in order to reveal the benefits of applying non-pharmacological interventions such as music and art therapy to improve quality of life. This article also aims to shed light on the impact of this disease on the caregiver’s life. Music and art therapy have produced reliable results in the treatment of patients with AD, and the best effects are related to increased socialization and the maintenance of social status.

Highlights

Published: 9 June 2021Dementia, a condition studied for many years, is defined as a group of diseases characterized by the global, chronic, progressive, and irreversible intellectual deterioration of the entire psyche, mainly affecting cognitive functions, emotional life, and social behavior.According to the literature, Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia
This study aimed to review the literature from the period 2000–2021 on the steps taken to study quality of life in people affected by Alzheimer’s dementia after receiving nonpharmacological interventions
Data are sufficient to support the positive effects of music therapy on emotional expression, relationships, and non-cognitive symptoms by reducing cortisol levels and, as a result, reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and to a lesser extent, behavioral symptoms such as aggression in elderly patients with dementia

Summary

Introduction

A condition studied for many years, is defined as a group of diseases characterized by the global, chronic, progressive, and irreversible intellectual deterioration of the entire psyche, mainly affecting cognitive functions, emotional life, and social behavior. Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia. Dementia in Alzheimer’s disease is a significant concern in medical and social fields, impacting the people diagnosed, their relatives, and society. People diagnosed with this disorder experience progressive cognitive decline, a functional deficit that alters life quality. Cognitive and non-cognitive symptoms associated with emotional effects may cause psychosomatic disorders among relatives [3]

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