At this point, it is very difficult to dispute that music is good for you. Music generally makes you happy, we all know that. While this is true for all people, the music benefits for senior citizens seem to be much greater for them than for the general population.
The difference in the impact of music on senior citizens seems to stem from their unique position in life. As you age, you begin to become less active and most people also begin to feel the impact of social isolation. Since you’re likely retired at this point, you’re not as active and you don’t get out and about as much as you used to.
This has an impact on your physical conditioning and it also dramatically reduces the amount of contact you have with other people. All of those factors combine to make this a time in your life when music can make a true difference to elevate your mood and actually improve your quality of life.
Music Benefits for Senior Citizens
A study that was recently completed in Sweden actually studied two groups of senior citizens who were involved in a similar exercise program. One group listened to piano music while they exercised and the other group didn’t listen to any music at all. The study found that not only did the group that exercised with music show better balance while they were walking, but over time, they experienced less than half the number of falls that the other group experienced. That is one of the biggest music benefits for senior citizens – better health!
Senior citizens can sometimes become unhappy because of the isolation that starts happening as they become less mobile and have to rely on others for transportation and other things. Music has been shown to help them keep a more positive outlook on life. That small change leads to more positive emotions and happiness and the natural result of those things is that you are more likely to seek out new people, interact, and make new friends. You may even be able to talk about some of the great tracks of ambient music you’ve listened to lately and find that you have something in common.
Another of the music benefits for senior citizens is that it gives you something new to be interested in. Whether it’s the sounds of nature that remind you of a great vacation you took years ago or ambient music tracks you’ve never heard before, having something new and interesting in your life makes you more engaged in life. In some cases, finding an interest in new music can also open a whole new world of personal discovery and self-expression.
Health is another area of concern and the music benefits for senior citizens extend to this area as well. As your body ages, it simply doesn’t work as well as it used to. Senior citizens have more aches and pains, they tend to not sleep well and they start to have issues with mobility, coordination and cognitive functions. The good news is that the music benefits for senior citizens can help in all of these areas.
