Registered Music Therapist

RNDiv1, RMT,AMusA, PostGradDipMT, MMusMT, PhD

Rejuvenate, rehabilitate and revive The dementia choir concept

The Songbirds

• A choir, (or choral singing)

a form of group singing that incorporates scheduled practices and performances.

• Music Therapy

focuses not on the musicality of the choir performances, but on the optimum level of engagement and positive experience gained for each of the choir members.

The dementia choir concept

Rehabilitate

• Improve cognition through active engagement in singing, listening, carrying out instructions

• Improve mood – provide and assist in achieving individual goals, affirm abilities and achievements, social engagement

• Restore an opportunity for social engagement and a ‘sense of belonging’

Goals of the dementia choir

• Provide a sense of independence and ‘normality’ through public performances

Liberate

• Giving back to the community, through performances

• Providing valuable contributions to the choir, such as choice of songs for repertoire, (and for public performances)

• Providing personal experiences/historic recall connected to the songs

Liberate (cont’d)

Sheer enjoyment Social engagement Laughing Sharing things in common

Leisure

• Addressing the PWD’s unmet needs for emotional validation, meaningful activities and social interaction

• Not paying attention to, therefore not reinforcing BPSD’s

• Keeping the PWD’s stress levels as low as possible, being aware of their cognitive limitations. (IPA, 2012;Cohen-Mansfield, 2001).

Addressing BPSD’s through a choir

• Acknowledged for their individuality

• Given tasks to challenge their capabilities

Personhood

• Regular attendance at the dementia choir, giving primary carer respite time

• Improved mood pre and post practice

• Decrease in BPDS’s during choir time

• Increased socialisation during choir time and other days of the week.

• Overall improvement in Quality Of Life

Empirical Evidence (Songbirds choir)

Empirical Evidence

• (2012) DCRC (Qld) and NARI: Community dementia choir (N=15), pilot study

–Decrease in BPSD’s: wandering, calling out,

–Increase in social engagement

–Increased engagement in the music, especially well known choruses of songs.

Research

(2013) DCRC (Qld), NARI and Benetas: Residential choir (N=12) (Pilot study) - Increase in group attendance - Significant decrease in depression

(p<0.005), inter-rater reliability not available

- Positive staff feedback - Staff perception of choir impact very

positive - Long-term effects not noticed

Research (continued…)

Excerpt from “Forgotten Notes” documentary on setting up a choir for people with dementia in an aged care facility

Forgotten Notes

Website: www.drlorettaquinn.com

Email: loretta@drlorettaquinn.com

Mob: 0417 377 627

Music Therapy resources for Choirs of people with dementia

• Craig Harris Web design

• Troy McMillin Graphic design

• Matthew O’Grady Consultant

• Prof Elizabeth Beattie DCRC Qld

• Maree Daly, Colleen Doyle NARI

• Alan Gruner, Paula Gibb Benetas

• Cassie Tointon Annecto

• Karen Oliver Wyndham City Council

• Anne Kelly Alzheimer’s Tasmania

Many Thanks

Rejuvenated, rehabilitated and revived

• Annecto: The Songbirds Choir http://www.annecto.org.au/index.php/search?searchword=The%20songbirds%20choir&searchphrase=all

• Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA). Retrieved from http://www.austmta.org.au/

• Ashida, S. (2000). The effect of reminiscence music therapy sessions on changes in depressive symptoms in elderly persons with dementia. Journal of Music Therapy, 37(3):170-182

• Bailey, B.A. & Davidson, J.W. (2003). Amateur group singing as a therapeutic instrument. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy 12(1): 18-32

• Bailey, B.A. & Davidson, J.W. (2005). Effects of group singing and performance for marginalized and middle-class singers. Psychology of Music, 33(3): 269-303

• Benetas “Forgotten Notes” Documentary http://www.benetas.com.au/research-opinion/aged-care-research-projects

References

• Cohen-Mansfield, J. (2001). Nonpharmacologic interventions for inappropriate behaviours in dementia: A review, summary and critique. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 9: 361-381.

• Daly, M., Purchase, R., Quinn, L. & Doyle, C. (2013) “Forgotten notes: pilot study of a choir for people living with dementia in residential care”. National Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne (Report commissioned by Benetas)

• Doyle, C. & Beattie, E. “Singing together: The impact of choir participation on BPSD”, National Dementia Research Forum, Canberra, September 2012

• Gerdner, L. (2000). Effects of individualized versus classical “relaxation” music on ``````the frequency of agitation in elderly persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related ``````disorders. International Psychogeriatrics, 12(1):49-65

• International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA).(2012) The IPA Complete Guide to Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)- Specialists Guide. Retrieved from http://www.ipa-online.net/ipaonlinev4/main/programs/sif_BPSD.html

• Kitwood, T., (1997). Dementia reconsidered: The person comes first, Buckingham: Oxford University Press

References continued…