Multisensory Stimulation and Individualized Music Sessions on Older Adults with Severe Dementia: Effects on Mood, Behavior, and Biomedical Parameters

Abstract

Both interventions seem to be effective at managing mood and behavioral disturbances in the short term and at improving physiological rates, highlighting the efficacy of nonpharmacological treatments in patients with severe dementia.

Impact of individualised music listening intervention on persons with dementia: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials

“…Further data extraction of 141 full‐text articles excluded 135 papers based on the inclusion criteria. Although six papers met the inclusion criteria, three papers were from the same research project as confirmed by the study author . Thus, a total of four studies were included in this review as shown in Figure .…”

“…Severity of cognitive impairment was from mild to very severe. The number of participants ranged from 21 to 120 . Only one study specified the type of dementia (Alzheimer's disease) …”

“…Music was played through a compact disc (CD) player or a computer in the participant's room, in a private/quiet room or a familiar area. Trained professionals and a research assistant delivered the intervention. In one study, it was stated only that the participants passively listened to their preferred music, while in another study, the music therapist prepared the music playlist but the participants listened to the music without interaction with the therapist .…”

“…Specific BPSDs were evaluated using the Cohen‐Mansfield Agitation Inventory for agitation, the Rating Anxiety in Dementia scale for anxiety and the Cornell Scale Depression in Dementia for depression . In one study, mood and behaviour were also assessed using the Interact scale . Cognitive function was assessed using the Severe Mini‐Mental State Examination, while dementia severity was determined using the Bedford Alzheimer Severity Scale .…”

“…All studies were at high risk of bias based on not blinding participants or personnel, due to the nature of the intervention. For the blinding of outcome assessment, the ratings were mixed: two studies were at low risk, one was at high risk, and one was unclear . Three studies were at low risk for incomplete data, while one study was rated unclear due to the lack of description as to how the authors managed missing data .…”