The effects of singing and the spaced retrieval technique on improving face-name recognition in nursing home residents with memory loss

The present study examined the effects of singing and the spaced retrieval technique on the naming abilities of nursing home residents with memory loss. Participants were 7 female residents of a nursing home. The primary diagnoses of the participants included Alzheimer's disease, stroke, dementia, senile dementia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). An ABA experimental design was implemented. Data analyses show an improvement in the percentage of correct face-name recognition responses during the music condition for 4 of the 7 participants. Results of this study indicate that music therapy is a good resource to improve the naming abilities of some nursing home residents with memory loss.