1. Music Therapy and How It Can Benefit Individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease
Joni Pappas MA, MT-BC

2. What is Music Therapy? Became a profession in 1950
Allied health profession
Clinical and evidence based interventions
Became a profession in 1950
What is Music Therapy?

3. Degrees and Professional Requirements
Earn a Bachelor’s degree or higher
1200 hour clinical internship post classwork
Board Certification
100 continuing education credits per 5 years
Degrees and Professional Requirements

4. Who Benefits from Music Therapy?
Past – mental illness and developmental disabilities
Present – wide variety of populations
Who Benefits from Music Therapy?

5. FOCUS Functional Outcomes
Enhance strengths
Address needs
Meaningful interactions with loved ones
FOCUS Functional Outcomes

6. Interventions Sensory stimulation ∙ auditory ∙ visual ∙ tactile
ACTIVE
PASSIVE
Interventions Sensory stimulation ∙ auditory ∙ visual ∙ tactile
Singing
Instrumental and vocal improvisation
Structured instrumental and vocal performance
Movement to music
Composing
Music analysis
Active music listening
Listening
For relaxation
To help decrease agitation and wandering
Aid transitions

7. Interventions Live music
Music from young adult years and folk songs from childhood
Interventions

8. What Can Music Therapy Provide?
Memory recall
Reality Orientation
Sustained Attention
Communication
Decreased agitation and frustration
Reduction of Anxiety and Stress
Positive emotional and mood states
Improved self-esteem
Gained sense of Control
Gross and fine motor movement
Social interaction
What Can Music Therapy Provide?

9. Music is processed in multiple areas of the brain simultaneously.
Can increase memory recall and mental alertness
Can stimulate responses and interaction with music in individuals in late stage dementia
Can reduce depression of older adults
Shown to promote the release of endorphins
Shown to stimulates the production of serotonin and immunoglobulin and decrease cortisol
Research