Objective: Individuals with dementia in the long-term care setting are at an increased risk of malnutrition and dehydration. The investigation sought to determine if classical music affects food consumption in individuals with dementia. Method: This investigation used an A-B-A-B single-subject experimental design (SSED) where the participant served as her own control through objective serial data collection of her food consumption with and without classical music. This investigation lasted 11 weeks in a long-term care facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: One participant was appropriate for the investigation and indicated a trending decline in food consumption before introducing the intervention. During the initial intervention phase, the participant had a significant upward trend in increasing food consumption. Once intervention was withdrawn, there was a significant drop, and the average level of food consumption significantly decreased. When the intervention was reintroduced, the average level of food consumption increased, but not at the same trend as when classical music was first introduced. Conclusion: The investigation introduced an objective method to measure food consumption and provided promising support for providing music during meals. It adds to the research that music has varying results for increasing food consumption in individuals with dementia, including having a positive attitude toward meals. Future research should further investigate the effects of various music genres or participant-specific music preferences on increasing food consumption and the quality of life of individuals with dementia.
