A pioneering music intervention tool has launched – Vera – offering a series of personalised music stations to improve the lives of people living with dementia.
Vera, an AI-led music intervention took created by Music Health, has partnered with Universal Music Group (UMG) – which comprises global record labels who have signed hundreds of the biggest stars in music, from Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift to Andrea Bocelli and the Bee Gees – to use its catalogue of music to curate the perfect song for every individual person, whenever they want it.
Vera analyses the age of the dementia affected person, where they grew up, and how they react to certain music. It uses these criteria to autonomously curate the right songs at the right times to effectively manage the Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD).
Over 80 per cent of people living with dementia experience BPSD, manifesting as agitation, aggression, depression, or confusion. Vera stimulates the part of the brain responsible for long-term memory to help manage the impact of BPSD, easing the care routine of those living with dementia.
Listening to personally-significant music – all the noteworthy songs from our own life – is shown to effectively decrease the effects of BPSD helping to improve mood, cognitive function, motor functions and brain plasticity.
Over 20,000 hours of observation and rigorous analysis, together with research from the Global Centre for Modern Ageing, confirms that Vera has a significant positive impact on the quality of life of people dealing with BPSD, as well as providing additional benefit to carers.
Vera is available in five countries globally – the UK, US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand – and has been approved for download by Apple’s AppStore.
It is currently being trialled by international healthcare company BUPA, as well as several health and aged care providers offering hospital care, residential care and community services in its native Australia.
“We’ve built Vera to know and find the music that means the most and has the biggest effect for each person living with dementia,” says Music Health co-founder, Stephen Hunt.
“It acts like a music detective, that seeks out tunes that they used to love a long time ago but may have forgotten about, which their carers may have never heard of, and their families may not even know.”
Vera curates songs from UMG’s expansive catalogue, the world’s largest, most diverse and culturally rich collection of blues, classical, country, folk, jazz, pop, R&B, reggae, rock ‘n’ roll, soul and soundtracks.
The songs are autonomously curated and played directly from the Vera app via speakers or headphones.
Aged care organisation, Barossa Village, worked with Music Health to refine the app and validate the impact Vera has on people living with dementia.
This included daily monitoring of the changes Vera had on the people being cared for at Barossa Village as listening sessions were integrated into the daily routine of care.
Findings from the studies showed an overall increase in quality of life for participants, especially after using Vera for several months.
“Vera provides playlists that are targeted and tailored to how each of our residents relates to their favourite songs. It’s an amazing innovation. And family members love it as they can participate in a shared experience with mum or dad, grandad or nanna,” says Matt Kowald, general manager, integrated care, at Barossa Village.
