New NHS Trial Discovers Singing as a Soothing Remedy to Alleviate Agitation in Dementia Patients

A groundbreaking NHS trial has found that singing songs and playing percussion instruments can help tackle one of the most challenging symptoms of dementia – agitation.

Aside from memory problems and confusion, approximately 90% of the one million dementia patients in the UK experience agitation, which manifests as episodes of shouting, pushing, and spitting.

The damage to the brain caused by the disease can lead to aggression and destructive behavior in sufferers.

However, researchers at Anglia Ruskin University discovered that engaging in music and singing can reduce incidents of agitation by three quarters.

The trial involved patients from two dementia wards at Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust participating in weekly music therapy sessions for 14 weeks. The therapy included singing familiar songs and playing percussion instruments.

Researchers at Anglia Ruskin University found helping dementia patients to create music and sing slashed incidents of agitation by three quarters

The sessions were led by a trained dementia therapist, and the researchers observed that agitation occurred on fewer than one in ten music therapy days, compared to one in three without therapy.

Based on these findings, the same Trust is planning to launch a major pilot program that will offer regular music therapy to dementia patients. Experts involved believe that this could reduce the need for powerful sedative drugs, which are currently used to alleviate distress in dementia patients but come with the risk of increased falls and mortality.

“Calming medications are often given to a person with dementia when they are distressed, but this is far from ideal as research suggests that sedatives increase the risks of falls and death,” says Dr. Ming Hung Hsu, senior research fellow at Anglia Ruskin University and chief investigator of the trial.

Dr. Ben Underwood, research and development director at Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, explains, “Agitation can be very distressing for patients, families, and staff, and current interventions are limited. All the early evidence suggests that music might be a powerful and enjoyable tool. I am very excited to see this work progressing.”