Music Therapy in Gerontology: Fact or Fancy?

I got music. I got music. I got music how could anything go wrong?”

April 2005 O’Bleness Hospital

I. Music appeals to our emotions, facilitates expression, elicits associative memories, facilitates communication, and contributes to improved quality of life. Music therapy is based in research and effective clinical practice. II. Music affects our brain is very specific ways. III. Music is a part of our lives from birth to death and is intimately woven into our spiritual lives, our cultural rituals, our learning, and our daily lives. IV. Research supports what we see in practice. The processing of musical stimuli in the human brain supports the use of music as an eliciting and reinforcing stimulus. V. Music in gerontology to elicit motor activity, to stimulate memory, to increase quality of live. VI. Q and A

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to give a basic definition of music therapy. 2. Participants will be able to identify several music therapy techniques effectives in working with older individuals. 3. Participants will be able to describe one study, which supports the use of music in gerontology.