From rock to classical: how Music Care is supporting people with Parkinson’s disease

French company Music Care is offering people with Parkinson’s a one-month free trial of its digital therapy app – available until 31 December 2022. Find out how the service may help with symptom management

Parkinson’s Europe has partnered with French company Music Care with the goal of improving daily life for people living with Parkinson’s.

Through musical sequences and AI-recommended treatments, the Music Care app – created based on the research of music therapist and clinical psychology expert Stéphane Guétin – is designed to help manage symptoms such as pain, anxiety and sleep disorders.

Currently used for in-patient treatment at the American Hospital of Paris, France, the music therapy app and its effects have been reported in more than 150 scientific publications across different areas of medicine.

In a video exploring the app’s potential impact, Dr Gilles Boccara – intensive care specialist at the American Hospital of Paris – explained that he has used Music Care in some radiology procedures, where it has served as a form of “self-hypnosis” to calm patients.

As part of the app’s offerings, patients can listen to musical sequences within a variety of different genres, spanning from rock to jazz to classical music – with each piece composed “in collaboration with world renowned musicians, scientists and music therapists”.

How to sign up

Now, people living with Parkinson’s in Europe are invited sign up for a free month-long trial of the app.

Parkinson’s Europe explained that the aim of the trial is to “help the developers understand if Music Care can be beneficial for people with Parkinson’s who experience pain, anxiety or depression”.

The trial is open to people with Parkinson’s from all over Europe, and more information can be found in a range of different languages on Parkinson’s Europe website. Participants will be asked to fill out a feedback questionnaire detailing their experience using the service.

Do you have experience of music therapy for Parkinson’s? Let us know in the comments.

This article was first published in June 2022.

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