Decolonizing Dementia Care: Indigenous Musical Epistemologies as Therapeutic Tools in African Alzheimer's Communities

Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are rising public health concerns across African aging populations, with implications for Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being. Biomedical models often fail to address the emotional disconnection, identity loss, and cultural alienation experienced by dementia patients. This study addresses a critical gap by exploring Indigenous African musical traditions as culturally embedded therapeutic modalities that stimulate memory recall and social engagement, thereby improving quality of life. The study aims to investigate how Indigenous musical epistemologies function as therapeutic tools in dementia care. Guided by Episto-Musical Pedagogy Theory, Personhood Theory, and Ubuntu Philosophy, the study frames music as a sovereign epistemological system capable of restoring relational identity and ancestral memory. Using Participatory Action Research (PAR), the study engaged 150–200 participants aged 55–75 across Nigeria, Liberia, Cameroon, and Senegal. Data collection included ethnographic observation, semi-structured interviews, and cognitive/emotional assessments, with active involvement from caregivers, elders, musicians, and health professionals. Findings revealed improved memory recall, emotional regulation, and strengthened social engagement. Stakeholders affirmed the cultural relevance and feasibility of integrating music into dementia care protocols. Music emerges not merely as an adjunct, but as ancestral medicine, reawakening memory, dignity, and communal belonging in African dementia care.