Finding Your Muse: Music and Memory in Alzheimer’s Patients

September 1, 2026

Watching a loved one slowly lose pieces of their memory due to Alzheimer’s can be devastating. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 7 million people in the U.S. are affected by this progressive disease, robbing them of critical thinking abilities. A growing body of scientific evidence now suggests that listening to music activates neural regions associated with memory, which is welcome news for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers.

Researchers from Monash University in Australia conducted a long-range study of over 10,000 people aged 70 and older and found that listening to music daily reduced the risk of developing dementia by nearly 40%. The group that was followed for 10 years also showed a 33% lower risk of dementia in those who played a musical instrument. “Our study suggests that lifestyle-based interventions, such as listening to and/or playing music, can promote cognitive health,” says Joanne Ryan, senior author of the study and head of the Biological Neuropsychiatry and Dementia research unit at Monash.

How does Alzheimer’s affect the brain?

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and is characterized by a slow decline in cognitive functioning due to a buildup of tau and amyloid proteins. As the disease progresses, healthy neurons in the brain lose their connections with one another and die, leading to memory loss over time. The disease typically starts in the brain region responsible for memory and ends in the brainstem, affecting critical heart and lung functions. 

Some patients may have difficulty remembering the faces of their loved ones and may find their usual environment confusing and disorienting. For such patients, being exposed to familiar experiences and keeping the brain engaged and active is vital to slow the progress of this irreversible disease. “Personalized music programs can activate the brain, especially for patients who are losing contact with their environment,” says Norman Foster, MD, Director of the Center for Alzheimer’s Care and Imaging Research at the University of Utah Health.

What is the connection between music and memory?

Studies show that music that evokes certain emotions can allow people affected by Alzheimer’s to retrieve forgotten memories, even if the music isn’t relevant to memories they’re failing to recall. When a patient with Alzheimer’s hears familiar music, it unlocks certain memories and emotions. Researchers have discovered that long-term musical memory does not follow the same progression of decline as other cognitive abilities. It is currently unknown why this is the case, and research in this area is ongoing. 

Music stimulates the temporal lobe and limbic system areas of the brain. It is largely observed that the emotions of a memory are better preserved in the mind than the memory itself, which is why music is such an important therapeutic tool for Alzheimer’s patients. By evoking emotional responses, music can allow individuals with Alzheimer’s to access memories that are difficult to recall. 

Many Alzheimer’s patients also tend to suffer from anxiety and agitation, and benefit greatly from the release of endorphins that comes with listening to music. “Just hearing a certain musical piece or singing a song with others that is particularly meaningful to an individual can create strong positive feelings, evoke memories and generate joy,” says Alvaro Pascual-Leone, MD, a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.

What are the benefits of music therapy?

Listening to music regularly stimulates parts of the brain related to memory and attention. Familiar music from the affected patient’s past can also improve their recollection. “Music therapy can make a huge difference not only for people living with dementia, but also for the family caregivers supporting them,” says Kathy Siepker, an associate professor at the University of Arlington School of Social Work. 

Siepker helped develop an app for people with Alzheimer’s that uses AI to sense the patient’s mood and plays familiar songs if they appear down or agitated. “Toward the later stages of the disease, patients often sit quietly, withdrawn,” says Siepker. “But when they hear familiar music—songs from their childhood or young adulthood—they often remember all the lyrics, sing along.”

The benefits of music therapy include:

• Relaxation
• Reduced anxiety and stress levels
• Mood regulation
• Improved memory 
• Better coping skills
• Mood regulation
• Improved communication skills
• Reduced sense of pain

How to find and apply music therapy?

If you or your loved ones are ready to look for a licensed music therapist, refer to the Certification Board for Music Therapists to find one in your area. Alternatively, caregivers can use some of the strategies below to incorporate music into the lives of their loved ones living with Alzheimer’s:

• Create a playlist on Spotify, YouTube, or a related app of familiar songs from a time your loved one can recall. 
• If they are fond of different genres, make separate playlists and use them at different times.
• Periodically update the list to expand the collection based on their reactions, since not all songs evoke joyful memories.
• Buy them a pair of wireless noise-canceling headphones for listening. This would allow them to be part of social gatherings where they feel like they are with family, but also need music to orient themselves.
• Remind them to listen to music when they feel anxious, confused, or agitated.
• Keep music accessible to them at all times.

World Alzheimer’s Day is observed each year on September 21. It serves as a reminder to us to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and focus on ways to improve the lives of our loved ones living with this and related conditions.

Legal and Financial Planning for Those with Alzheimer’s and Their Caregivers

November 1, 2023

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, then there are certain things that you will need to plan for legally and financially. An estimated 6 million Americans have Alzheimer’s, and it is currently the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Alzheimer’s is a brain disorder that slowly decreases memory and thinking skills, while dementia involves a loss of cognitive functioning; both cause more and more difficulty for an individual to perform the most simple tasks. Though a diagnosis can be scary, the right planning can help individuals and their families feel more at ease.

Putting Legal Documentation in Place

Christopher Berry, Founder and Planner at The Elder Care Firm, recommends three main disability documents that should be in place.

First, there needs to be a financial power of attorney, a document that designates someone to make all financial decisions once an individual is unable to do so for themselves. If an individual lacks a trusted loved one to make financial decisions, then designating a financial attorney or bank is an option.

The next document that needs to be in place is the medical power of attorney that designates someone to make medical decisions for an individual. In many cases, it may be appropriate to appoint the same person to be the financial and medical power of attorney, as long as that person is well-trusted by the individual. In the event that something happens to the original power of attorney(s), successor (or back-up) agents for power of attorney(s) should also be designated.

The last document is the personal care plan, which instructs the financial and medical power of attorney(s) on how best to care for the individual in need. For instance, those entrusted to the care of an individual will need to make sure they sign medical records release forms at all doctor’s offices; copies of the power of attorney or living will should also be given to healthcare providers.

These three documents provide a foundation to make decisions for the individual diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia when they no longer can themselves. It’s ideal to include the individual in these conversations in the early stages of their diagnosis, so that they may be a part of the decision-making process and appoint people that they will feel most comfortable with during their care.

How to Pay for Long-Term Care

Since Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, the level of care an individual needs will increase over time. Care costs may include medical treatment, medical equipment, modifications to living areas, and full-time residential care services.

The first thing a family can do is to use their own personal funds for care expenses. It’s important for families to remember that they will also pay in their time, as many children of loved ones with Alzheimer’s or dementia will become the main caregivers. It may be wise to meet with a financial planner or sit down with other family members, such as your spouse and siblings, to determine how long some of you may be able to forgo work in order to provide full time care.

When personal funds get low or forgoing work for a period of time becomes difficult, long-term care insurance can be a lifesaver. The key to relying on long-term care insurance though is that it needs to be set up ahead of the Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnoses, so considering these plans as one ages may be smart.

Veterans can make use of the veterans benefit, or non-service-connected pension, which is sometimes called the aid and attendance benefit. This benefit can help pay for long-term care of both veterans and their spouses.

Finally, an individual aged 65 or older can receive Medicare, while those that qualify for Medicaid can receive assistance for the cost of a nursing home. If someone’s income is too high to receive Medicaid, then the spenddown is one strategy to know; under spenddown, an individual may subtract their non-covered medical expenses and cost sharing (including Medicare premiums and deductibles) from their available income. With the spenddown, a person’s income may be lowered enough for them to qualify for Medicaid.

Minimizing Risk Factors During Care

Research published recently in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia found that nearly half of patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia will experience a serious fall in their own home. Author Safiyyah Okoye, who was at John Hopkins University when the study was conducted, recommends minimizing risks such as these by safeguarding homes early on in diagnoses. “Examining the multiple factors, including environmental ones like a person’s home or neighborhood, is necessary to inform fall-risk screening, caregiver education and support, and prevention strategies for this high-risk population of older adults,” she states.

The good news is that since the progression of Alzheimer’s is often slow, families have plenty of time to modify the home for increased safety.

In addition to fall prevention modifications, other safety measures may include installing warning bells on doors to signal when they’re opened, putting down pressure-sensitive mats to alert when someone has moved, and using night lights throughout the home. Coats, wallets, and keys should also be kept out of sight, because at some point, leaving the home alone and driving will no longer be safe. Conversations about these safety measures, such as when an individual will have to stop driving, are ones that caregivers should have early on with their loved ones. Including individuals in their future planning while they are still cognitively sound will help both them and their caregivers feel more comfortable with the journey ahead.

Insureyouknow.org

It’s important to remember that even though receiving an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis can be devastating, it is not the end. People with Alzheimer’s can thrive for many years before independent functioning becomes difficult. Both patients and caregivers will feel more calm through planning ahead. Insureyouknow.org can help caregivers stay organized by storing all of their important documents in one place, such as financial records, estate planning documentation, insurance policies, and detailed care plans. Above all, there is hope for those with Alzheimer’s; research is happening every day for potential therapies and future treatments.