Personalized Dementia Support
Online music therapy for dementia provides personalized, evidence-based support for individuals living with dementia and their family caregivers from the comfort of home. Sessions are provided through HIPAA-compliant Zoom and can be adapted to each person’s needs, abilities, goals, musical preferences, and stage of dementia. This approach makes professional music therapy accessible without the need to travel to an in-person appointment.
Online music therapy can be effective throughout the dementia journey, from mild cognitive impairment through later stages of dementia. Depending on the individual’s needs, sessions may focus on cognitive stimulation, communication, emotional well-being, social connection, comfort, or relaxation. Meaningful and individualized music is used as part of a structured therapeutic process designed to support quality of life for both clients and their caregivers.
Find Help for Every Stage
Music therapy can be adapted as a person’s needs, abilities, and goals change throughout the dementia journey. For individuals with mild cognitive impairment or mid-stage dementia, sessions may include Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) and Individual Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (iCST) to support memory, attention, language, communication, and meaningful engagement.
In later stages of dementia, therapeutic goals may become more focused on comfort, relaxation, emotional connection, and quality of life, including during hospice and palliative care. Middleton Music Therapy uses evidence-based Cognitive Stimulation Therapy and Neurologic Music Therapy® techniques to provide the right amount of cognitive stimulation for each participant while adapting interventions to their current abilities and therapeutic goals.
Meaningful Benefits
Cognitive Stimulation
Structured music-based activities support memory, attention, language, communication, and cognitive engagement while creating meaningful opportunities for participation and therapeutic interaction.
Emotional Support
Personalized music can encourage emotional expression and connection while helping decrease anxiety, agitation, depression, isolation, and other emotional challenges that may affect daily well-being.
Social Connection
Individual and group sessions create opportunities for communication, shared musical experiences, social interaction, and meaningful connection with a therapist, caregivers, and other participants.
Quality of Life
Music therapy focuses on meaningful participation, communication, comfort, emotional well-being, and positive experiences that can support quality of life throughout the dementia journey.
Caregiver Support
Online sessions can involve family caregivers in the therapeutic process while also providing an opportunity for respite and additional professional support in the client’s familiar environment.
Personalized Care
Music, interventions, therapeutic techniques, and session goals are adapted to each person’s abilities, preferences, condition, stage of dementia, and individual therapeutic needs.
Online Sessions
Online individual and group music therapy is available for people living with different types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, and vascular dementia. Sessions can be provided at every stage and allow participants to join from the comfort of their own homes or memory care communities without concerns about transportation, weather, or leaving a familiar environment.
Before the first session, Middleton Music Therapy provides technical assistance by phone as needed to ensure participants can successfully access the free Zoom platform. Once connected, sessions are personalized and may incorporate individualized music, cognitive stimulation activities, singing, musical interaction, and other evidence-based techniques selected according to the participant’s goals and abilities. Online therapy provides a flexible way for clients and caregivers to access professional music therapy while remaining in a comfortable and familiar setting.
Get Started
Every person living with dementia has different needs, abilities, experiences, relationships with music, and personal preferences. Middleton Music Therapy uses individualized, evidence-based approaches to create online sessions that support meaningful therapeutic goals while adapting to the person’s current stage, abilities, and changing needs over time.
A complimentary phone consultation provides an opportunity to learn more about online music therapy, discuss the needs of a client, and explore whether individual or group sessions may be an appropriate option. Ingrid can also answer questions about the online format and help caregivers understand how music therapy may support both their loved one and the family.