Music plays an important role in helping those with dementia stay connected and happier than they might be otherwise. Now, a UK-based aged care agency has taken the concept a step further by putting together research-based playlists of the ‘best’ songs for dementia sufferers of different age groups.
Measuring a number of different aspects of each song, the agency – Lottie – created two distinct lists of songs, one labelled ‘upbeat’ and the other ‘calming’. For the upbeat list, the researchers measured danceability, energy, loudness, ‘speechiness’, valence and tempo.
Some of those features are fairly self-explanatory, others less so. The researchers defined ‘valence’ as “describing the musical positiveness conveyed by a track. Tracks with high valence sound more positive (e.g. happy, cheerful, euphoric), while tracks with low valence sound more negative (e.g. sad, depressed, angry).”
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‘Speechiness’ is a measure of the presence of spoken words in a track, the researchers say. The higher the ‘speechiness’ value, the more spoken words are contained in the track. Poetry for instance would score very highly, while a rap song would get a middling score.
Using these parameters, the Lottie team developed playlists for various age groups, and each of these lists features songs that many of you will be familiar with. Some of you might start tapping your toes just at the thought of them.
Who likes what?
In two of the age groups, 60 to 69-year-olds and 70 to 79-year-olds, Michael Jackson’s blockbuster hit Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough was top. The track rated highly for danceability and, as the researchers pointed out, “may remind those living with dementia of happy memories, such as their first kiss, teenage years, family parties and loved ones”.
The two age groups’ preferences diverge from No. 2 onwards, although there is some crossover. Coming in second and third on the 60–69 playlist are New Order’s 1983 smash, Blue Monday, and Superfreak (1981) by Rick James.
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For 70 to 79-year-olds, those spots were occupied by Mungo Jerry’s In the Summertime, with Le Freak by CHIC and Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry equal third. The entire 70–79 top four features in the 60–69 top 10, but in a different order.
Unsurprisingly, the preferred playlist for 80 to 89-year-olds features songs from a slightly earlier period. Their top 10 comprises songs entirely from the 1950s and `60s, with only three of those from the latter decade.
Topping the tree was Johnny Horton’s 1959 hit, The Battle of New Orleans, followed by Eddie Cochrane’s Summertime Blues and Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode.
Lottie has created playlists of these songs on music sharing service Spotify. Figuring out how to use such as service might be too much of a challenge for some with dementia, but carers and family in most cases should be able to assist.
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These lists are, of course, a guide, and may include songs that the listener – be that the dementia sufferer or the carer – might dislike intensely. (I will confess here that if I ever hear the song In the Summertime again I may let out a guttural scream audible in the next suburb.)
In such cases, creating a tailored playlist is a better idea. And on streaming services like Spotify it’s not very hard at all. It can be a rewarding experience for patient and carer to create a playlist they both enjoy.
Long before my mum had dementia, I did something along these lines with her. Spotify was not ‘a thing’ back then and our list was created on a compact cassette. We were able to enjoy those songs together when dementia began to take hold.
Lottie’s lists are a good starting point and both the upbeat and calming ones can be found here. Before you know it, you and someone special could be dominating the dancefloor as you show off your moves to Play That Funky Music!
Do you have someone close to you who has dementia? Have you found playing their favourite songs helpful? Why not share your experience in the comments section below?
