Give music a go!

It’s easy to get started.

Caring for someone with dementia is hard. Think of a song you love. Or a song you both love. Put it on and see what happens. Are you tapping your foot? Singing along? Maybe you’re dancing together. Or perhaps you just feel a tiny a bit better inside.

Look below for more music ideas to try at home.

It’s not a magic wand but music can help. Research shows music can manage anxiety, reduce the need for medication and create moments of joy and happiness on the toughest of days.

Group of elderly people wearing red shirts with 'Prime Timers World's Oldest Choir' logo, sitting and holding music folders, smiling.

Join a choir

If you're looking to try something new in 2026, visit our join a choir page and take our fun quiz to find out which choir is right for you.

Find out how to join a choir →

Two women sitting at a table engaged in conversation, one holding a tablet and the other with a coffee cup and pill bottle in front of her. They appear to be smiling and in a relaxed setting.

Build a playlist

Playlist for Life has loads of free resources to create 'the soundtrack to your life'. Learn about the memory bump, red flag songs and how to use your playlist throughout the day.

Go to Playlist for Life →

Vintage radio on a wooden dresser with retro wallpaper background

Get music now

Award-winning m4dradio.com is free and streams ad-free music from different decades. What will you be listening to today?

Go to M4D Radio →

Two older adults sitting outdoors, one in a wheelchair with a guitar, the other in a chair smiling. They are in a garden setting with green plants around.

Music therapy tips

Music as Therapy International trains carers in musical techniques to connect with people living with dementia, manage anxiety and reduce medication.

Go to Music as Therapy International →

Two senior women sitting on a couch, both wearing headphones. One woman is holding maracas and laughing, while the other is smiling, holding a TV remote. The background features a purple floral wallpaper.

Find a musical memory

BBC Music Memories is free with clips of tunes arranged by decade, genre, geography and hobbies. What memories will you spark?

Go to BBC Music Memories →

Elderly woman in red shirt gesturing with hand, seated near festive decorations, and using a walker.

Sing a song

Carols aren't just for Christmas! Sing any song that springs to mind. Use google to find all the words or browse the international songbook made by charity 'Shared Harmonies'.

Go to Shared Harmonies →

Real life stories

  • Two women sitting together, one wearing sunglasses and a pink vest, the other in a blue patterned shirt, with a small dog partially visible in the foreground.

    “If it’s one of her off days I’ll say ‘shall we put the music on?’ And we both start singing”

    Brenda and Trish

  • Two elderly people sitting indoors near a window with curtains.

    “You start to sing and you feel much better…you start to wonder if you’re the same person.”

    Tim and Cindy

  • Two women sitting together in a room with floral curtains and a window in the background; one is elderly and wearing a scarf, the other is smiling and wearing a colorful top.

    “It can just be five minutes or even just one song, but that’ll do.”

    Patricia and Clara