Music therapy to reduce agitation in dementia.

BACKGROUND: Music therapy is a non-pharmacological intervention that aims to increase emotional wellbeing through cognitive stimulation and social interaction. AIM AND METHOD: I aimed to investigate the efficacy of group music therapy to reduce agitation in people with dementia. To this end, I carried out a systematic review of the literature. RESULTS: Eight articles show that music therapy is feasible for use with people with all stages of dementia. The best results involved using familiar music and a qualified group music therapist, with the optimum frequency of intervention being two to three times a week for 30-50 minutes. Control interventions such as reading and recreational activities also reduced agitation. CONCLUSION: Music therapy should be implemented by qualified music therapists in care homes and day care units. Further research should be conducted to ascertain the most suitable music types to be used in therapy sessions.