Music Therapy with Older Adults 

DMH’s program for older adults provides participants with interactive musical experiences that may assist in enhancing a range of cognitive, social-emotional, communicative and physical abilities. Music experiences may include:

1) Familiar songs (precomposed music): the participant may learns, sing, plays, or performs precomposed music;

2) Songwriting: the therapist helping the participant to write songs, lyrics, or instrumental pieces;

3) receptive experiences: the participant listening to music and responding to the experience silently, verbally, or in another modality. The music used may be live or recorded and may be focused on physical, emotional, intellectual, aesthetic, or spiritual aspects; and

4) improvisation: the participant makes up music with the therapist while playing or singing, creating a melody, rhythm, song, or instrumental piece.

Music therapy provides opportunities for older adults to improve and enhance their:

  • Memory recall
  • Reduce stress and anxiety
  • Empowerment and sense of self control
  • Social-emotional skills
  • Pain management
  • Creative self-expression
  • Social living
  • Quality of life

See online articles/interviews pertaining to music therapy with older adults featuring DMH’s founder, Dr. John Carpente:
-Music Therapy in Dementia Treatment — Recollection Through Sound

-How Music Connects When a Senior has Alzheimer’s

-Music is Powerful Therapy for Adults with Alzheimer’s Disease

-Therapies for Dementia & Alzheimer’s DiseaseMusic Therapy Enhancing Cognition

-Music Therapy Enhancing Cognition

FAQs

Do participants need to have prior music experience?

Various instruments which require no prior skill or experience are used by the participant while the therapist provides music experience on the piano or guitar that engage, match, support, and enhances the participant’s playing in order to foster engagement, interaction, and communication.

How do participants engage during a typical music therapy session?

Generally, participants may engage by singing familiar songs while the music therapist accompanies on the guitar or piano;  or participant in improvised instrumental play that is being supported by the music therapist; or engage in active listening with the therapist to familiar recordings followed by a discussion.

Generally, how long are sessions?

1-hour (60 minutes) is allotted for each music therapy session. Sessions are a minimum of 1 times per week, in order to maintain continuity.

What type of professional credentials will the music therapist hold?

All music therapists employed at DMH are board certified music therapists and hold a minimum of a Bachleors degree in music therapy. Some of our therapists hold graduate degrees as well.

If I have additional questions who can I contact?

You can email us at Info@DMHMusictherapy.com

All of out music therapy programs for older adults may be provided in-home, community centers, and/or nursing home. DMH music therapists are professionally credentialed and Board Certified Music Therapists 

For more information please email us at Info@DMHMusictherapy.com