Playlists Reduce Medication Needs of Elderly

Guest: Kali Thomas, PhD, Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University, Research Health Science Specialist, Providence VA Medical Center Within the next decade, an estimated 7 million Americans will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, so the need for innovative ways to treat the illness is crucial. Maybe you’ve seen the viral video online of an elderly man with dementia slumped and staring blankly until a nurse puts some headphones on him and a favorite song begins to play. Suddenly, he comes alive.  Anecdotally, music seems like a powerful tool for people with dementia. Brown University researchers now have the data to prove it. Kali Thomas worked on the study, appearing in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.