Abstract
Persons with Alzheimer’s disease have short and long-term memory loss, and
difficulty with abstract thinking. This decreased cognitive function is something that
affects everyone diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Currently, there is no cure for
Alzheimer’s disease and treatment is focused on increasing quality of life and
maintaining functional abilities as long as possible. Music therapy is sometimes part of
the treatment process and one of the goals of music therapy with persons with
Alzheimer’s disease is to stimulate short and long-term memory, thereby stabilizing
cognitive function.
While there is a body of research available on music therapy and Alzheimer’s
disease, little exists on the effects of different types of music utilized in therapy. A more
thorough understanding of the effects of different types of music used in therapy would
be beneficial to the people receiving therapy and the music therapy professionals
providing treatment. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility of
hymn singing to enhance the cognitive function of persons with Alzheimer’s disease.
