The benefits of music for the elderly

Music can play a significant role in our lives at any age, but for older adults, it can potentially have a positive impact in several different areas. It can alter the way we feel, can evoke memories, provide comfort and can have physical health benefits too. Whether it’s listening to music, playing an instrument, or even singing in a choir, music can have a profound effect on the lives of older people and their loved ones.

In this article, we explore the various benefits of music for the elderly, include some ideas for music activities for seniors to participate in and look at the important topic of music and dementia.

Jump to:

• The health benefits of music for elderly people
• The mental health benefits of music for the elderly
• The social benefits of music for elderly people
• Music and dementia
• Music activities for seniors to try
• Peace of mind for older adults and loved ones
  
  

The health benefits of music for elderly people

Music is more than something pleasant to listen to or do, it can also have physical health benefits that may contribute towards better general health and wellbeing for older people.

• Studies indicate that listening to music can help to lower blood pressure. As many elderly people have a high risk of high blood pressure, this could be really important and affect wider health or existing medical conditions.
• Research also indicates that listening to music can actually potentially help people to manage chronic pain. As many older people experience chronic pain from conditions such as arthritis or back pain, as well as joint problems, this could be something that is very beneficial, alongside following their doctor’s medical advice for medication and lifestyle changes that can also help.
• Music has also been found to help improve sleep quality, which could be especially useful for older people, as elderly sleep problems are common.
  
  

The mental health benefits of music for the elderly

While physical health is very important as we age, music also has the potential to have positive benefits on the mind too. Many older people find that they have challenges with low mood or depression, and although they might not feel as able to talk about this with others in the same way as physical health, music can be one of the ways to help support mental health in older adults.

• Studies have found that listening to music helps to reduce stress and this impact actually increases with age, which can be very beneficial for older people who may find managing stress to be challenging.
• Research also indicates that singing releases endorphins and dopamine, helping the individual to feel uplifted and happy, whether singing alone or with others and can potentially help to reduce anxiety.
  
  

The social benefits of music for elderly people

While listening to music, playing an instrument or singing alone can have benefits on a mental and physical health level, doing music activities that involve other people too can also bring in social benefits. Music can provide an opportunity for bringing older people together, which can really help to combat isolation and loneliness.

For those older adults that play musical instruments, playing with others can help bring a sense of togetherness and shared experience. It can also be a great way to meet new people, or spend time with family members or friends who also enjoy music.

Singing with others, whether just having a singalong in a group or with an organised choir, can be a great way to forge new social connections and start a great new hobby in later life.

Music and dementia

There are many ongoing studies into dementia and how music can potentially have a really positive impact on helping those concerned about the possibility of dementia in later life, those who are experiencing the early signs of dementia, or those who have been diagnosed with a condition such as Alzheimer’s disease. We take a look at some of the potential benefits of music for dementia, which include:

Playing music and dementia

Playing a musical instrument or singing is thought to help keep the brain healthy in later life. While there is much that is still unknown about dementia, maintaining good cognitive function into later years is thought to potentially help slow down some symptoms of dementia. 

For those with dementia who are not able to verbalise their feelings or ideas, playing music or singing/humming can be a way for them to express themselves.

Playing certain pieces of music from their past can help to spark memories and stories, even if they struggle with their short-term memory.

Dementia and listening to music

Listening to music is known to evoke memories, feelings and emotions from a time that the individual has heard it in the past. For someone experiencing dementia, this connection with music can sometimes help to trigger positive feelings and connections with the world and people around them.

For some people with dementia, hearing a piece of music or a song from their past can encourage them to reminisce about that particular time in their life.

Listening to familiar music can sometimes also be very calming for some of those with dementia, reducing anxiety, which can be helpful if they find some aspects of care or daily life quite worrying.

Music activities for seniors to try

Some older adults might feel that they aren’t particularly ‘musical’ if they haven’t ever learned to play an instrument or been part of a music group of some kind. However, it’s never too late to start participating in music activities and it’s something that people of any age can do.

Dancing to music

Listening to music can be very enjoyable for older people, but dancing to it has many potential benefits to health too. Not only does gentle dancing mean that they are taking part in more physical activity, which can help with general health and wellbeing, it can also be a social hobby too, which can help to combat the loneliness and isolation that many older people experience.

Watching musicals from the past

If an older person enjoys musicals or songs from shows or films, having a watch along of a musical or show they know from their past can be a great activity. For those who are able, a theatre visit with loved ones to a live show can be a lovely way to spend quality time together doing something really enjoyable. For those who can’t go in person, watching a recording of a show or a musical film can also be something they find really beneficial.

Joining a choir or singing group

Whether singing is something that an older adult feels they are particularly good at or not, joining a group or choir can be a really positive activity that brings all the benefits of music and social connections. For those experiencing dementia, choirs and singing groups can be especially helpful, with a warm, welcoming environment and singing familiar songs often able to bring some respite from some symptoms.

Playing along to music with percussion instruments

Not every older person will have learned to play an instrument in their earlier life and some who did may no longer be able to do so, but many elderly people enjoy using various percussion instruments to play along with songs they know and love. From shakers to sticks or small drums and tambourines, playing along with percussion instruments, especially as part of a group or with loved ones, can be very beneficial socially too.

Peace of mind for older adults and loved ones

If you have an elderly loved one who has been diagnosed with dementia or who sometimes struggles with things such as short-term memory or confusion, its only natural to worry about their safety at times, especially if you can’t always be with them.

One thing that can bring real peace of mind is by choosing a dementia alarm system or dementia tracker for your older loved one. Dementia alarms are wearable devices that have GPS technology designed to help track the location of an elderly person if they get lost, and some also have features that can automatically detect falls. All Taking Care emergency alarms are monitored 24/7, so if your loved one presses the alert button, or travels outside of the optional ‘safe zone’ that you have set up, help is always at hand.