Music Therapy & Music Based Interventions in Dementia: Recommendations for Clinical Guidelines Part II

The therapeutic benefits of music are well-recognized in care of the elderly and especially in its application for people with dementia (PWD). Currently, music-based programs occur at varying levels and are offered by a variety of professionals. The challenge is to ensure that music is provided in a beneficial way. There is a growing need for clinical practice guidelines that are based on research outcomes, in order to guarantee reliable music therapy and music-based intervention procedures for people with dementia (PWD). This will ensure that these interventions are properly implemented by professional music therapists, or other health allied professionals, as well as caregivers, in the cases of music-based interventions. This paper reflects on this need and highlights recommendations leading toward greater definition of best practices in the use of music with PWD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved