Music and dementia care: Future directions for research and innovation

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Background: Cognitive decline and dementia can have a major impact on individuals, families, societies and economies. While there are currently no cures for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and available treatments only modestly slow early progression, there is enormous scope to improve cognitive health and support individuals emotionally and psychologically as they age. By developing and implementing research-informed, music-based approaches in dementia care, quality of life could be significantly improved for those living with dementia and their families. Objective: An early-stage visioning project brought together an interdisciplinary research team from across Canada, Scotland and England to discuss music-based interventions (MBIs) as scalable, real-world solutions that can have a positive impact on the health and well-being of older people. The focus of the discussion was future research directions. Methods: A community of practice was formed to map out directions for future research and innovation in the continued advancement of MBIs in dementia care. Results: Six emerging research themes were identified: (1) music, mind and body; (2) social isolation and connection; (3) music technologies; (4) creativity, cultural rights and participation; (5) involving people living with dementia in the research process; and (6) real world implementation and sustainability. Conclusions: MBIs are a beneficial application in dementia care, but ensuring quality, access and long-term sustainability remain a challenge. More fundamentally, music should be seen as part of the human experience, and engagement in music and other arts-based activities should be considered a cultural right during aging.

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