Interactive Music to Facilitate Communication and Engagement in Advanced Dementia

This exploratory case study focuses on a 90-year-old female dementia patient, a veteran of the Second World War, who participated in multiple face-to-face singing and activating sessions. These sessions utilised interactive singing designed to stimulate cognitive, emotional, and motor engagement. The primary objective was to explore the sensorystimulating techniques used by the music therapist and to document the patient’s emotional, social, and motor responses. A case study was employed, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses of two video-recorded sessions. Findings reveal that familiar songs evoked autobiographical memories, enhancing emotional engagement and facilitating verbal and non-verbal psycho-social interaction. Rhythmic cues stimulated motor activation, while communal singing improved affective (emotional) responses. The study emphasises the importance of cultural and historical relevance in selecting musical material to optimise emotional and cognitive engagement in dementia care. Findings suggest that personalised interactive music interventions may improve motor, cognitive, emotional, and social engagement in dementia patients, supporting communication and reducing social isolation. Further research is recommended to validate these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms of music-induced cognitive and emotional activation in dementia patients.