Music as a Force for Good

Can music improve memory, mood and physical function in older adults? Can singing impact the quality of life as we age? Academic researcher Julene Johnson thought so.

Thanks to a National Institutes of Health grant to fund studies that could identify novel ways to promote independence and wellbeing in older adults, she started a Community of Voices study, the largest of its kind. She hypothesized that music participation is a cost-effective way to promote health, independence and well-being to help an increasingly diverse population of older people remain active and independent. You can read more about the design and execution of the study here or on the Community of Voices study site.