MUSIC THERAPY: A NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACH FOR

AGITATION REDUCTION IN DEMENTIA PATIENTS

VERONICA ALVAREZ, BSN STUDENT
ARLEEN CANTA, BSN STUDENT
JERVONNE JOHNSON, BSN STUDENT

BACKGROUND KEY FINDINGS

Music therapy is non-pharmacological, alternative method to decrease • All seven articles suggested that music therapy
agitation in patients with dementia. It can be used as an alternative reduced agitation in patients with a diagnosis of
intervention to increase the emotional health in patients suffering from dementia.
confusion and cognitive impairment related to dementia. • All of the articles reported that music therapy should
be used as an adjuvant therapy in dementia patients.
• Music therapy can increase indices of positive
PROBLEM participation in care in moderate to severe stages of
dementia (Lancioni et al, 2013).
Although proven effective in improving emotional, cognitive, and social • Findings showed that dementia patients exposed to
development in patients suffering from dementia, music therapy is 6 weeks of music therapy significantly reduced
underestimated in the medical field as effective cognitive therapy. According agitation compared to standard care (Hung,
to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy treatment is Flowerdew, Parker, Flachner, & Odell-Miller, 2015).
efficacious and valid with older persons who have functional deficits in
physical, psychological, cognitive or social functioning.

PURPOSE
This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of literature on the
effects of music therapy in reducing agitation in patients with dementia.

METHOD
A literature search was conducted using the CINAHL Plus with Full
Text database. The keywords searched were music therapy and
dementia patients. The initial search generated 216 articles, and
then narrowed down to seven quantitative research reports on the
topic of the effects of music therapy in reducing agitation in
dementia published within the last 5 years for thorough review.

IMPLICATION
The systematic literature review revealed evidence that supports the
use of music therapy in the plan of care for patients with dementia to
reduce the symptoms of agitation and aggression, and hospital polices
should be reflective of this research for better patient health
outcomes.

CONCLUSION
Music therapy is an underutilized practice that is shown to have
positive results in reducing agitation in people with dementia.

REFERENCES
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Raetz, J. (2013). A nondrug approach to dementia. Journal Of Family Practice, 62(10), 548-557.

Ming Hung, H., Flowerdew, R., Parker, M., Fachner, J., & Odell-Miller, H. (2015). Individual music therapy for managing neuropsychiatric symptoms for people with dementia and their
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Clare, M. (2014). Soothing sounds: reducing agitation with music therapy. Nursing & Residential Care, 16(4), 217-221.

Ridder, H. O., Stige, B., Qvale, L. G., & Gold, C. (2013). Individual music therapy for agitation in dementia: An exploratory randomized controlled trial. Aging & Mental Health, 17(6),
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