Music of memory

Music of memory

Get ready to be moved by real-life accounts of how music can reach places in the brain that words can’t quite touch. This episode of *All In The Mind* looks at how personalised playlists are changing life for people with dementia, their families, and the staff who care for them.

You’ll hear Henry light up as he talks about Cab Calloway and sings snatches of old favourites, a simple moment that hints at something bigger: familiar music can cut through confusion and bring someone back to themselves, even briefly. Dan Cohen, founder of the Music & Memory program, shares striking stories from care homes, like the agitated veteran whose disruptive behaviour stopped “bingo, just problem solved” once patriotic songs were played through his headphones.

Clinical neuropsychologist Dr Amy Baird explains why this happens. She describes how music stimulates “all regions of the brain” and how memory for familiar music is unusually preserved in Alzheimer’s dementia. Her research with a 92-year-old woman who could learn and recall new songs, despite not recognising Amy or remembering three simple words, hints at music as a powerful memory aid.

The episode then shifts to Australia, where Dr Maggie Hirsch and the Arts Health Institute are rolling out Music & Memory in residential care. Staff like Amy Kavanagh and Carmen carefully build playlists for residents such as Mavis, John and Nancy, using favourite artists from Elvis to the Carpenters.

The scene where Nancy, in late-stage dementia, hears “Close to You” while her husband Morrie holds her hand is especially affecting; her small responses open a flood of shared emotion for him and for everyone watching. If you’ve ever felt a song transport you back in time, this conversation might leave you wondering: what tracks would go on your own playlist for the moments when you most need comfort, connection or a spark of joy?