Challenging Alzheimers Disease Behaviors A Study

Challenging Alzheimer’s disease patient behaviors are becoming more and more common. Unfortunately, traditional management of patients with Alzheimer’s disease in nursing homes exhibiting inappropriate or challenging behaviors often results in physical or chemical restraint. Agitated behaviors often interfere with daily living, and according to Witzke, Rhone, Backhaus, and Shaver (2008), may escalate from restlessness, pacing, and disrobing to hitting, kicking, and yelling. Agitation is described as inappropriate verbal or motor activity unrelated to needs or confusion (Witzke, Rhone, Backhaus, Shaver, 2008). These behaviors put a massive burden on the caregivers. A study by Kwak, Bae, and Jang (2013) revealed that agitation†¦show more content†¦Music can be a backdoor into their mind and a melody or a beat can transport them somewhere; back to their past, a place, event, or a relationship, thus provoking a sentiment, stimulating a memory or a feeling (Morgan, 2015). Music therapy is easy to incorporate into daily care and is inexpensive compared to the use of pharmaceuticals. Music therapy is best done on an individual basis, so the use of headphones is important. The volume of the music should also be adjusted to the patient’s hearing ability, as this will help ensure the desired effect is reached. For a number of patients, the effects of the music continued after the music therapy had concluded. The responsiveness of patients with Alzheimer’s disease to music is a remarkable phenomenon. One possible explanation for preserved musical processing in patients with Alzheimer’s disease is that the areas of the brain associated with music cognition are preferentially spared. As asserted by Aldridge (1993), this may be because the fundamentals of language itself are musical. Music provides a form of therapy for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, which may stimulate cognitive activities such that areas subject to progressive failure are maintained. 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