What is a primary goal of music therapy with elderly populations?

Improving quality of life is a primary goal of music therapy with elderly populations because it encompasses various aspects of well-being, including emotional, social, and physical health. Music therapy can provide opportunities for social interaction, enhance emotional expression, and encourage physical movement, all of which contribute to a greater sense of overall quality of life.

Engaging in music can invoke memories, provide comfort, and facilitate emotional connections, which are particularly significant for elderly individuals who may be facing challenges such as isolation, depression, or cognitive decline. Therefore, through carefully tailored music interventions, therapists can help to alleviate symptoms of these challenges and enhance the participants' daily experiences and satisfaction with life.

While enhancing cognitive skills and developing skills for daily living can certainly be beneficial and are often components of music therapy, they serve as means to the broader end of improving quality of life rather than being primary goals themselves. Teaching musical instruments, on the other hand, usually focuses on skill development rather than the overarching aim of enhancing well-being.