Music Therapy Ideas - Music Offers Powerful Benefits to Older Adults

Most of us recognize the effects of music when it comes to how we feel. Upbeat tunes can keep us tapping our toes and snapping our fingers, while slow, mournful songs can rouse wistful memories and longings for bygone days. It turns out music can be more than a trigger for our moods. Music offers powerful benefits to both our mental and physical health, including for seniors.

The fountain of youth. Participating in music appears to offset some of the effects of aging. According to some studies, if you played a musical instrument during your childhood years, your mind remains sharper through old age. It also appears to help retain the ability to hear. For seniors between the ages of 60 and 85 with no previous musical experience, learning to play the piano is shown to enhance memory and improve mental processing capabilities. It seems that the part of the brain associated with hearing is prevented from deteriorating by engaging it musically. .

Music and the mind. Music therapy offers many mental health benefits, which is thought to be because of the powerful affect it makes on the brain. Music triggers not just one emotional system in the brain, but it appears to have the unique capability of creating a response from all of them simultaneously. According to the American Psychiatric Association, music lowers stress levels, reduces depression, and lowers anxiety. Thanks to the power of music, people who suffer with insomnia are able to improve their sleep quality. Older adults who listen to music are more positive about life and are happier overall than those who do not. In fact, some studies show a flood of feel-good chemicals in the brain when listening to music. Music can decrease agitated or angry behavior and alleviate behavioral changes caused by diseases such as dementia. Psychology Today reports playing music can even help dementia patients with accomplishing tasks which otherwise prove difficult, such as dressing or bathing. Music enhances one’s social life, improves communication, builds one’s sense of identity, and even strengthens the feeling of community connectedness. .

Healing power. Music not only holds power over the mind, but also over the body. Music can reduce chronic pain levels, help heal stroke victims, encourage the improvement of motor skills, lower heart rates, lower blood pressure, and enhance healing from surgery. People suffering with Parkinson’s Disease can improve their steadiness and coordination. Older adults who play instruments don’t experience the same levels of hearing loss that non-musical adults experience. People suffering with cancer appear to have improved immune function and an increase in natural killer cell activity when listening to music, and people in hospice care experience improved breathing, less sleeplessness and reduced pain. .

Making music part of your life. There are numerous ways to incorporate music into your lifestyle. If you played an instrument in your younger years, why not enjoy a refresher? Dust off your old guitar or drum set and give it a whirl. If you enjoy musicals, opera or concerts, one idea is to download performances to enjoy from the comforts of your home. You don’t even need to leave the house if you decide to participate in music lessons. Thanks to modern technology, as they say, there’s an app for that! You can download a music instruction app on your phone, laptop or other device to help you get your groove on. Guiding Tech recommends trying GarageBand, SimplyPiano or Yousican Guitar. If you get very involved, you may decide soundproofing a room in your home is in order, especially if you live in a community where the living spaces are near to each other. A soundproofed room will give you the freedom to jam loudly to your heart’s content! .

Better life through music. Music can improve the quality of life for older adults. Listening to and playing music can enhance both mental and physical well-being, and improve one’s social life and community. Participating in music is good for seniors all the way around!