Assessing the Inclusion of Music Therapy and Music Interventions in National Dementia Strategies and Clinical...

Dementia prevalence continues to rise, predicted to reach 150 million by 2050, making development of effective, person-centred, non-pharmacological interventions an urgent healthcare priority. Music therapy and music (MTAM) are increasingly recognised as low-cost options to alleviate behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), particularly in acute hospital environments. This scoping review evaluates national dementia strategies and clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to determine how far MTAM are acknowledged as formal components of dementia care.

A scoping review of databases identified the most recent national clinical strategies or CPGs for people with dementia (PWD), published between 2015 and 2025. Using the PRISMA guidelines in June 2025, with pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria we examined four databases, supplemented with an internet search and reference snowballing. National strategies and CPGs that included MTAM were examined in more detail.

Of the 37 national strategies or CPGs, 19 were eligible for inclusion, identified from 16 countries. Although non-pharmacological interventions were widely endorsed, only seven guidelines referenced MTAM, and fewer acknowledged its potential value in hospital. In contrast, interventions such as occupational therapy, reminiscence therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy appeared far more frequently. Further analysis was not in the scope of this review.

Our findings underscore the gap between emerging evidence supporting music-based interventions and its inclusion in national policy.

These findings highlight the need for further robust research demonstrating the benefit of MTAM for PWD to strengthen future policy recommendations and promote integration of music-based approaches in dementia care.