Music has an important meaning in the lives of many elderly persons. Its capacity to evoke emotions and influence mood and arousal is often relatively well preserved also in dementia. Neuroscientific and clinical research has increased our understanding about the mechanisms underlying music enjoyment and its therapeutic effects. This article reviews previous studies that address the neural basis of music cognition and emotion. We also introduce the effects of varying music interventions on emotional and cognitive functioning in dementia. Findings suggest that both traditional music therapy and caregiver-implemented music activities may have the capacity to reduce emotional and behavioral disturbances in dementia, although firm conclusions about the longterm effects of music still remain elusive. The rapid growth of dementia warrants study in the rehabilitative effects of everyday musical leisure activities or hobbies, such as music listening and singing, on well-being in dementia, especially in its early stages.The general world population is aging rapidly. Inevitably, the number of elderly persons with dementia (PWD) will also be increasing even more in the future. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that the prevalence of Alzheimer disease (AD) and other dementias was 24.2 million people in 2004. 1 In 2010, an estimated 35.6 million people worldwide were living with dementia, and this number was estimated to nearly double every 20 years, to 65.7 million in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050. 2 The direct and indirect costs of dementia to the society are also massive, totaling around 604 billion USD in 2010. 3 Thus, we can already speak of a true dementia epidemic that will present an enormous challenge to the society and to the health care system, which in many countries is already struggling to provide adequate services for the rapidly aging population.Globally, family caregivers are at the cornerstone of support for most PWDs. It has been estimated that approximately 73% of PWDs in developed countries live at home and are cared for by their family members, primarily retired spouses. 3 The exponential growth of dementia and the enormous cost of its institutional care will greatly increase the need for more outpatient and family care in the future. However, the role of the family caregiver is often demanding, and caregivers typically experience substantial burden and psychological distress as well as economic hardship. 4 Nurses who work with PWDs in long-term care institutions are often under considerable strain in their work, usually brought about by difficulties in coping with the severe neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms and agitated behavior of the patients. 5,6 Even as numerous drug treatments have been developed to slow the progression of AD symptoms, it is currently unlikely that any single medical cure for AD will be found, 7 thus emphasizing the need for more effective nonpharmacological treatments. According to a recent systematic review, many efficacious nonpharmacological interventions, s...