Even though memory loss is one of the most debilitating features of dementia, several studies has revealed the ability of music to trigger the recall of old memories is relatively preserved in people living with dementia. Yet, we don’t exactly what feature of music activates memories. This goal of this project is to answer this question by studying how features of music, personal familiarity and emotional quality, can help improve memory for people living with dementia. Unlike prior work that has tried to answer this question with artificial laboratory tasks, we plan to carry out our investigations with real-world memory tasks that reflect everyday situations, such as remembering to take medication or share stories of the past. In doing so, we can provide knowledge that can directly translate into better, more personalized music-based programs that can improve quality of life for people living with dementia.
