Music therapy interest in patients with Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease related dementia: A survey study

BackgroundMusic therapy can be an effective psychosocial intervention for people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Alzheimer's disease related dementia (ADRD). However, there is a lack of literature regarding people with AD and ADRD's interest in music therapy.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine interest in music therapy among patients receiving care at an outpatient memory clinic.MethodsA total of 70 patients receiving outpatient services at a university memory clinic completed a researcher-designed one-page survey assessing demographic information and interest in music therapy. Clinic staff recruited participants at check-in for their regularly scheduled appointments.ResultsParticipants were a mean 74.4 years old (SD = 9.5 years). Most participants identified as White (90%), had access to reliable internet (89.7%), and had not previously heard of music therapy (56.7%). Participants indicated they would prefer individual music therapy (58.2%) over group music therapy (10.9%). Participants tended to have low interest levels when asked to rate their interest in receiving music therapy in both in-person or teletherapy formats.ConclusionsAlthough music therapy can help maintain cognitive abilities in older adults, participants receiving care in our outpatient memory clinic expressed low interest in receiving music therapy in person or via telehealth. However, many participants were unfamiliar with music therapy, underscoring the need for education and advocacy to increase awareness and access to care. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are provided.