DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My father always loved to sing and would make up silly songs for us when we were kids, and then for his grandkids. He’s now been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Should we incorporate music into his care? How would it be most helpful?

ANSWER: Music certainly can play a role in your father’s care, since music memories are often preserved in Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder that causes brain cells to waste away and die. In other words, it continues to get worse over time.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, which is an umbrella term for a group of symptoms that affect memory, language, decision-making and social abilities severely enough to interfere with the person’s daily activities. Other forms of dementia include Lewy body, frontotemporal and vascular.

In 2024, as many as 7.2 million people age 65 or older in the U.S. were living with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects this number to nearly double to 14 million people by 2060. Unfortunately, there is no cure.

How music may play a role in memory

Memory loss is the key symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. An early sign is difficulty remembering recent events or conversations. As the disease progresses, memory impairment gets worse, affecting the ability to function at work or at home. But key brain areas linked to musical memory are relatively undamaged by the disease.

Research suggests that listening to or singing songs can provide emotional and behavioral benefits for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. One study in which patients listened to music regularly for 6 weeks were less likely to need an increase in their medication.

Music also can help caregivers by reducing anxiety and distress, lightening the mood, and providing a way to connect with loved ones who have Alzheimer’s disease — especially those who have difficulty communicating.

Tips for incorporating music into care

If you’d like to use music to help a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease, consider these tips:

Connect with other caregivers talking about Alzheimer’s disease in the Caregivers: Dementia support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online patient community moderated by Mayo Clinic.

—Nathan Seven, M.D., Neurology, Mayo Clinic Health System, Red Wing, Minnesota

(Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. This Mayo Clinic Q&A represents inquiries this healthcare expert has received from patients. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org.)

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