Music Therapy in the Treatment of Alzheimer's DiseaseLori A. MontoyaTacoma Community CollegeMusic Therapy in the Treatment of Alzheimer's DiseaseIt is estimated that more than 5.3 million people suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, with a new case of AD being diagnosed every 70 seconds. For women over 55, the risk of developing AD is 17%. For men, at the same age, the risk is slightly reduced to 9% (LeMone, Burke & Bauldoff, 2011, p.1510). Because of these staggering statistics, Alzheimer's disease continues to be an area of ​​great interest and concern for the medical community. Although the cause of AD is unknown and there is currently no cure, much progress has been made in the treatment of AD. Treatments for AD now extend from simply providing traditional pharmacological interventions to integrating alternative treatments. Music therapy is one of the alternative treatments currently implemented for people suffering from AD. This research paper will discuss what Alzheimer's disease is, what music therapy is, and how music therapy is implemented in the treatment of AD, as well as the benefits and barriers of music therapy in patients with AD.Alzheimer's disease“Alzheimer's disease is a progressive degenerative disease that attacks the brain's nerve cells, or neurons, leading to loss of memory, thinking and language, as well as changes behavior” (Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 2014). AD is a debilitating disease that interferes with an individual's quality of life and often causes distress in the loved ones around them. The cause of AD is unknown; however, certain factors put individuals at risk of developing AD, such as: age (gre...... middle of paper ......pice and Palliative Nursing, 14(2), 118- 125.LeMone, P., Burke, K. and Bauldoff, G. (2011). Critical thinking in patient care (5th ed., pp. 1510-1511). E., Virginie, P. and Philippe, A. (2012). Music improves autobiographical memory in light educational gerontology, 38, 30-41. Phaneuf, M. (2014). Retrieved from: http://www.infiressources.ca/MyScriptorAdmin/scripto.asp?resultat=138680 Townsend, M. (2011) Essentials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing ed., pp. 256. -257).Philadelphia, PA: FA Davis CompanyTzai-li, L., Watson, R., Wen-li, L., and Huei-chuan, S. (2012). using percussion instruments. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry., 27, 621-627.