Music Therapy Cuts Dementia Distress by 76% in NHS Ward Trial

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Slight rises in agitation were recorded alongside small gains in quality‑of‑life and reduced distress and disruptiveness among patients.

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No adverse events or increases in routine incidents were reported during the study period.

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Interviews with 49 staff, patients and families shaped the intervention and were published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

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Costs were kept low at £2,025 per month for the therapist and a one‑time £400 equipment investment.

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Findings were published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in July 2025, highlighting feasibility in complex mental health settings.

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Neurological pathways were examined in a December 2024 realist review in Nature Mental Health, showing limbic activation and neuroplastic benefits.

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The MELODIC study was built on the HOMESIDE trial and ARU’s 2021 Queen’s Anniversary Prize research, reinforcing non‑drug dementia care.

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Slight rises in agitation were recorded alongside small gains in quality‑of‑life and reduced distress and disruptiveness among patients.

No adverse events or increases in routine incidents were reported during the study period.

Interviews with 49 staff, patients and families shaped the intervention and were published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Costs were kept low at £2,025 per month for the therapist and a one‑time £400 equipment investment.

Findings were published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in July 2025, highlighting feasibility in complex mental health settings.

Neurological pathways were examined in a December 2024 realist review in Nature Mental Health, showing limbic activation and neuroplastic benefits.

The MELODIC study was built on the HOMESIDE trial and ARU’s 2021 Queen’s Anniversary Prize research, reinforcing non‑drug dementia care.

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Interviews with 49 staff, patients and families shaped the intervention and were published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Findings were published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in July 2025, highlighting feasibility in complex mental health settings.

Neurological pathways were examined in a December 2024 realist review in Nature Mental Health, showing limbic activation and neuroplastic benefits.