Music Therapy

Research
and Dementia
Feb. 14th, 2024
MUSIC 2MU3
Annilee Baron, MTA OCT
 Learning Overview

In this class you will learn:

• About the symptoms and prevalence of dementia
• About research findings related to dementia and music therapy
• How intergenerational music therapy programs can benefit both the
• elderly and youth

Based on the readings:

 Bruer, R. A., Spitznagel, E. Cloninger, R. (2007). The Temporal Limits of Cognitive
Change from Music Therapy in Elderly Persons with Dementia or Dementia-Like
Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Control Trial. Journal of Music Therapy,
44(4), 308-328. https://doi-org.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/10.1093/jmt/44.4.308
 Hessenberg, C. & Schmid, W. (2013). Sounding Bridges – An Intergenerational
Music Therapy Group Including Persons with Dementia and Children and
Adolescents in Psychiatric Care. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy,
13(12). https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v13i2.692
Cognition

 mental processes
Dementia - Symptoms

 Most related to cognition

 Dementia - Statistics

 1 in 4

 Not all living in long term care homes

 2/3 of residents in LTC or nursing homes

 antipsychotics

 https://www.cihi.ca/en/dementia-in-canada/dementia-
in-canada-summary
Canada’s National
Dementia Strategy

 First ever for Canada

 2019
 “innovative and effective
non-drug therapies”

 https://www.canada.ca/en/public-
health/services/publications/diseases-
conditions/dementia-strategy.html
 Music and Dementia

_____

The Neural Architecture of Music-Evoked Autobiographical Memories Petr

Janata Cerebral Cortex, Volume 19, Issue 11, November 2009, Pages
2579–2594 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhp008
 Music & Dementia

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7foqVQNPcQ
Music and Dementia
 Interventions/activities

Therapeutic singing
Bell Choirs
Reminiscence
Socialization
Paper #1

The Temporal Limits of Cognitive

Change from Music therapy in Elderly
Persons with Dementia or Dementia
Like Cognitive Impairment: A
Randomized Controlled Trial

Tuesday Feb. 15th, 2023

MUSIC 2MU3
Annilee Baron (She/her)
Paper #1

Author / Context of Article

 Robert A Bruer MTA (Certified Music Therapist)

 Location: Mental Health Centre Penetanguishene, ON
 Published in Journal of Music Therapy 2007
Paper #1

Background

 Amount of research in 2007

 First study on MT & geriatrics 1967
 Gerontology
 Composing and improvising
 Movement versus singing
Paper #1

Background Continued

 Melatonin
 Agitation
 Symptoms of depression
 Attention, social interaction, and language skills
 CEI medications
Paper #1

Background Continued

(a)randomization of subjects
(b)blinding of assessors
(c) the use of a standardized assessment tool
(d) adequate length of trial in which to establish
the longitudinal effects
Paper #1

Hypotheses

1) increased cognition
2) extend into to the
next day following the
session
3) extend into the
week(s) following the
session
Paper #1

Methods

 Temporal Limits
 Elderly, cognitively impaired
psychiatric inpatients
 28 participants
 8 weeks
 “Sundown Syndrome”
Paper #1

Methods Cont’d

 Cross-over design

 Randomized Controlled Trial

Paper #1

The MMSE

MMSE = Mini-Mental State Exam

A widely used test of cognitive function

among the elderly; it includes tests of
orientation, attention, memory, language
and visual-spatial skills.
Paper #1

MMSE example
Paper #1

Results

 MMSE scores
 Immediately after?
 The next day?
 Average improvement: 3.69 points
 Compare with average rate of score decline per year
 Discussion

 Singing
 Moving/playing instruments
 Improvement
 Recommended that music therapy should commonly
engage clients in movement and playing
Conclusions

 Reduce anxiety and

improve cognition in
the short term
 Movement and
playing instruments
 Control group’s
results?
 Future Directions

 Replicate
 Morning vs afternoon?
 Most effective
frequency?
Paper #2

Sounding Bridges
– An Intergenerational Music
Therapy Group With Persons With
Dementia and Children and
Adolescents in Psychiatric Care
Cornelia Hessenberg
Wolfgang Schmid
(2013)
 Intergenerational Music Therapy

 Dr. Melita Belgrave, University of Missouri

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sHBK22U8lg

 Kinder Village example:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqrt4U6pA7w
 Schlegel Villages
Research Institute for
Aging (RIA)
Paper #2

Background

 Psychotherapeutic educational center

 Persons with dementia live in a home for the
elderly situated in the same area
 In Germany

 Frequency, facilitators,
# of participants
Paper #2

Background

 First research of its kind?

 Similarities between persons with dementia and

children in psychoeducational centre

 The role of music therapy

Paper #2

Purpose

 Promotion of social skills and

resources, as well as the
support of emotional
expressivity, and reminiscence
work
 Share experiences, learn from
each other, grow, enhance
quality of life, strengthen
relationships
Paper #2

Methods

 Hello and farewell songs

 Singing favorite songs and playing
and improvising on instruments
 Teaching each other
 Discussions
Paper #2

Methods Continued

4 Therapeutic Aims:

1) Promotion of social competencies

2) Activation of Resources

3) Opportunities for emotional expression

4) Promotion of memory and identification

Paper #2

Findings

• Acceptance and inclusion

• Self-confidence and social
competence

• Music unifies

• Valuable to invite interested relatives,

caregivers, and educators
Paper #2

Discussion

 Each participant finds

access to their musical
AND social competencies
and resources.

 context promotes "social

inclusion for people who
are already extremely
vulnerable or marginalized"
(Schäfer-Walkmann, 2011,
p.3).
 Quiz #3

 Lectures and readings weeks 5 & 6

(Palliative/Hospice care, and Dementia)

 Opens February 15th at 6:00am

 Closes Friday February 16th at 11:59pm

 Happy Reading Week!