Music can be influential at any age, and it can be especially beneficial for older adults.

Music can positively impact moods and behaviors and also improve memory and cognitive functions. Music played in senior living communities can help to alleviate anxiety, elicit positive memories and emotions, and have a soothing effect.

Different types of senior living homes can have variable requirements when it comes to music, so the type of music can vary. For example, there will be different areas where music is played for different functions.

There is no doubt that music is important in senior living communities.

Types of Senior Living Homes Which Could Use Music

There are four main types of senior living communities, all of which can benefit from music. These are the main types:

Independent

‍Often in the form of apartment complexes, condos, or sprawling “neighborhoods,” independent senior living communities are places where seniors do not require personal assistance or on-site medical care.

Most residents are looking for an environment where they can live around other seniors with similar interests. Independent senior living communities can use music played in common areas, such as pools, exercise studios, community centers, restaurants, lobby or reception areas, and religious worship facilities. Healthcare is often off-site, and residents will control their own personal living environment.

Assisted

‍There are a wide variety of concepts for assisted communities, ranging from family-type homes to assisted living facilities, adult home campuses, and enriched housing facilities. Residents will require some form of personal assistance or medical care.

These senior living environments can be contained in one building or more than one. Multiple buildings are typically close together and separated by a walkway or a short walk. Music can be played to benefit the residents and staff members in the lobby, common areas (such as hallways), administrative offices, community room, game room, pool, exercise area, physical therapy rooms, dining hall/cafeteria, worship facilities, library, and basic health or medical treatment areas.

Skilled/Intensive Care

‍This type of senior living community includes nursing homes, convalescent hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. These residents will require some level of constant assistance or monitoring and are unable to live independently.

Music can often help soothe the high tension that can arise in these environments. It can be played in mental health and memory care units, administration offices, the lobby, common areas and hallways, community and activity rooms, intensive care units, physical therapy rooms and gyms, the library, the game room, worship facilities, and the dining hall/cafeteria.

Combination Type

A combination-type senior living community offers multiple levels of care within one facility, such as independent living, assisted living, and memory care. This approach allows residents to transition seamlessly between care levels as their needs change, fostering a sense of stability and continuity. These communities often provide a variety of amenities and programs designed to enhance residents' quality of life.

Music plays a vital role in these settings, promoting relaxation, social engagement, and cognitive stimulation. In these environments, music will often need to be varied based on the zones and tailored to fit the level and specific area it will be played. For example, in common areas, background music creates a welcoming atmosphere, while curated playlists can set the tone for events and activities. 

For memory care residents, music therapy has proven benefits, such as reducing anxiety and triggering positive memories, making it a valuable tool for improving emotional well-being across all levels of care.

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The Best Types of Music & Playlists

Music is closely tied to emotions. Specific songs or types of music can bring up fond memories while enhancing memory and thought processes.

The type of music played in senior living homes depends on where in the community it is being played. Music played in a gym or exercise area is bound to be more upbeat, for example, while music in a library might consist of more soothing nature sounds or rhythms.

Music in the lobby and hallways can often consist of peaceful ambient instrumentals in the background, while music played in the community and activity rooms will often be louder and more in the forefront.

The type of senior living community may also influence the music choices, given that each setting differs in senior ability, experiences, and goals.

Here are some examples of tailored playlists:

Independent Living

Upbeat, nostalgic songs that foster energy and social connection:

• "Here Comes the Sun" – The Beatles
• "Brown Eyed Girl" – Van Morrison
• "Sweet Caroline" – Neil Diamond
• "My Girl" – The Temptations
• "California Dreamin'" – The Mamas & The Papas
• "Dancing Queen" – ABBA
• "I’m a Believer" – The Monkees
• "Rock Around the Clock" – Bill Haley & His Comets
• "Twist and Shout" – The Beatles
• "Respect" – Aretha Franklin
• "Fun, Fun, Fun" – The Beach Boys
• "Surfin’ USA" – The Beach Boys
• "Penny Lane" – The Beatles
• "Can’t Buy Me Love" – The Beatles
• "Great Balls of Fire" – Jerry Lee Lewis
• "Runaround Sue" – Dion
• "Wake Up Little Susie" – The Everly Brothers
• "Shake, Rattle and Roll" – Big Joe Turner
• "Love Me Do" – The Beatles
• "Come Fly with Me" – Frank Sinatra

Assisted Living

Soothing and familiar songs to create a calming and friendly atmosphere:

• "Can’t Help Falling in Love" – Elvis Presley
• "What a Wonderful World" – Louis Armstrong
• "Moon River" – Andy Williams
• "Unforgettable" – Nat King Cole
• "You Are My Sunshine" – Johnny Cash
• "Que Sera, Sera" – Doris Day
• "Sentimental Journey" – Doris Day
• "Yesterday" – The Beatles
• "Fly Me to the Moon" – Frank Sinatra
• "You Make Me Feel So Young" – Frank Sinatra
• "Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head" – B.J. Thomas
• "The Way You Look Tonight" – Frank Sinatra
• "Edelweiss" – Rodgers & Hammerstein
• "Autumn Leaves" – Nat King Cole
• "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" – Judy Garland
• "Blue Moon" – The Marcels
• "Dream a Little Dream of Me" – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
• "All I Have to Do Is Dream" – The Everly Brothers
• "Georgia on My Mind" – Ray Charles
• "Catch a Falling Star" – Perry Como

Skilled/Intensive Care

Gentle and soothing music for relaxation and emotional comfort:

• "Clair de Lune" – Claude Debussy
• "Ave Maria" – Franz Schubert
• "Amazing Grace" – Traditional
• "Canon in D" – Johann Pachelbel
• "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
• "Bridge Over Troubled Water" – Simon & Garfunkel
• "The Sound of Silence" – Simon & Garfunkel
• "Meditation from Thais" – Jules Massenet
• "Autumn Leaves" – Nat King Cole
• "Edelweiss" – Rodgers & Hammerstein
• "Moonlight Sonata" – Ludwig van Beethoven
• "Aloha ‘Oe" – Queen Lili’uokalani
• "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" – Chet Baker
• "Scarborough Fair" – Simon & Garfunkel
• "Shenandoah" – Traditional
• "Time to Say Goodbye" – Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman
• "The Swan" – Camille Saint-Saëns
• "On Golden Pond" – Dave Grusin
• "Danny Boy" – Traditional
• "Some Enchanted Evening" – Rodgers & Hammerstein

Combination Type

A versatile mix of genres and tempos to suit diverse preferences and care levels:

• "Stand by Me" – Ben E. King
• "Let It Be" – The Beatles
• "Blue Suede Shoes" – Elvis Presley
• "Rock Around the Clock" – Bill Haley & His Comets
• "Que Sera, Sera" – Doris Day
• "Take Five" – Dave Brubeck
• "Moon River" – Andy Williams
• "Fly Me to the Moon" – Frank Sinatra
• "Amazing Grace" – Traditional
• "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
• "The Way You Look Tonight" – Frank Sinatra
• "Bridge Over Troubled Water" – Simon & Garfunkel
• "Dancing Queen" – ABBA
• "Brown Eyed Girl" – Van Morrison
• "My Girl" – The Temptations
• "Clair de Lune" – Claude Debussy
• "Unforgettable" – Nat King Cole
• "Sweet Caroline" – Neil Diamond
• "Autumn Leaves" – Nat King Cole
• "Georgia on My Mind" – Ray Charles

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Research Around Music Being Beneficial for Seniors

There has been a lot of research and studies showing that music is good for the brain. It can enhance natural pathways to pleasure and elicit a wide range of emotions.

Studies have also been done to show the benefits of music on the aging brain. Music can be a way to exercise your brain, much in the same way that going to the gym works out your body.

Music stimulates the brain. Keeping your brain engaged with music during the aging process can provide a host of benefits, including these:

• Lower blood pressure
• Reduced anxiety
• Improved quality of sleep
• Lesser perception of pain
• Enhanced mood
• Improved memory
• Increased mental alertness

Studies have shown that music played in the background can enhance memory and cognitive abilities in seniors. Hearing specific music can also trigger memories, and music can bring up positive associations with a past time or event.

Music can help with mental processing speed and mental clarity. Even in the case of advanced dementia, the response to music can be remembered, as it is often ingrained deep in the brain earlier in life before the onset of dementia.

Music can be soothing for virtually everyone. It can help to ease tension and improve the moods of both seniors and staff in senior living communities.

References

Keep Your Brain Young with Music. (n.d.). Johns Hopkins Medicine.

The Cognitive Effects of Listening to Background Music on Older Adults: Processing Speed Improves with Upbeat Music, While Memory Seems to Benefit from Both Upbeat and Downbeat Music. (October 2014). Aging Neuroscience.

Music and Dementia: An Overview. (June 2017). Practical Neurology.

Why Is Music Good for the Brain? (October 2020). Harvard Health Publishing.