Social engagement, pleasure, and memory in musical reminiscence workshops for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease

Introduction Social bonding is essential in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), as social withdrawal reduces quality of life and can worsen Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Dementia. Music therapy offer a promising approach. This study examines the effects on social engagement in AD and explores links between verbal interaction, memory, and emotion. Methods Nineteen voluntary residents with moderate to severe AD from four nursing homes participated. Nine musical reminiscence workshops were conducted. A single-group intervention study was conducted, with assessments at baseline, three points during the intervention, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up. Emotions were assessed using the Observed Emotion Rating Scale. Social engagement was measured via the social interaction domain of the Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Quality of Life scale. Episodic memory was evaluated with the simplified Tempau Test and an observational grid. Reminiscences and verbal interactions during workshops were counted. Results Verbal interactions and memory episodicity increased across workshops. Pleasure correlated positively with interaction frequency. Daily social engagement also improved after the intervention. Discussion Musical reminiscence workshops enhance autobiographical memory and foster social engagement. Pleasure appears to be associated with social interactions. Music interventions can improve the social quality of life in people living with Alzheimer’s disease.