Music Therapy to Support People Living With Dementia and Their Carers in Two Community Settings

Anglia Ruskin University0 个研究点目标入组 28 人开始时间: 2026年10月1日最近更新: 2026年7月29日

适应症

干预措施

试验速览

阶段: 不适用
状态: 尚未招募
发起方: Anglia Ruskin University
入组人数: 28
主要终点: Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale - 7-item version

研究概览研究设计入排标准研究组 & 干预措施结局指标研究者记录与标识符相似试验

研究概览

简要总结

The goal of this single arm interventional, pre-post study is to learn about the feasibility and impact of group music therapy sessions for people living with dementia in two different community settings.

This research will answer the following questions:

What is the impact of the music therapy groups upon attendees (people with dementia and informal carers) and does this differ between the two settings?
What is the impact of the music therapy groups upon staff and culture in the settings (day centre and memory hub staff)?
Is it feasible to conduct the study in these two settings? (recruitment, retention, attendance, delivery, data collection)
What are the barriers and facilitators to implementation in each setting?

Participants will attend at weekly a music therapy group for a period of 10 weeks, either at the Merton Memory Hub run by Alzheimer's Society or at Eastways Day Centre run by Merton Council (Adult Social Care). These sessions will be led by a fully qualified, HCPC registered music therapist with experience working with people living with dementia. The music programme will be designed to promote engagement, social connection, enjoyment and personal identity with the overall aim to support quality of life, emotional regulation and the relationship quality between the person living with dementia and their carer.

Data collection will involve mixed methods, such as quantitative validated questionnaires about wellbeing, loneliness, relationship quality between the carer and patient. These will be asked to both the person living with dementia and the carer. The music therapist will also conduct an observational Music in Dementia Assessment Scale on the behaviour of the participants living with dementia during the music therapy sessions. Qualitative data will be a semi-structured interview of about 20-30 mins to discuss with the participants, staff included, about their experiences once the programme is finished.

详细描述

Dementia represents one of the most significant and growing challenges facing adult social care in England, with increasing numbers of people living longer with complex and progressive needs. Alongside cognitive decline, people living with dementia often experience anxiety, agitation, communication difficulties, and social isolation, particularly during key transition points such as diagnosis, changes in care arrangements, hospital admissions, and end-of-life care. These challenges also have a substantial impact on informal carers, many of whom experience stress, reduced wellbeing, and difficulty sustaining their caring role without additional support.

Merton are currently developing a 5 year action plan on dementia (for April 26 - March 31). This project will contribute to work activity under the plan by supporting people with dementia and their carers when they are at or approaching points in the dementia journey where they are likely to need more support. It is anticipated that the availability of timely, appropriate psychosocial support in the form of tailored group music therapy sessions will help participants to accept their diagnosis, experience peer support, navigate changes in their relationship, ultimately leading to improved outcomes.

This project responds directly to the need for preventative, community-based interventions that can support people living with dementia and their carers while aligning with adult social care priorities. By focusing on key stages of need and generating locally relevant evidence, the project will help address both service pressures and gaps in provision.

Aims

To assess the feasibility of delivering music therapy sessions and conducting research in two different community settings
To evaluate the impact of music therapy upon the people who take part directly in sessions, as well as its wider impact on the settings, staff and carers of people with dementia
To compare differences between the two settings, in terms of the participants, the content of sessions, the effects of music therapy, and the resources required to deliver session and collect data.

研究设计

研究类型: Interventional
分配方式: Na
干预模型: Single Group
主要目的: Other
盲法: None

入排标准

年龄范围: 18 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
性别: All
接受健康志愿者: 否

入选标准

•With a diagnosis of dementia (or the informal/family carer to someone with a diagnosis of dementia who is participating in the study)
•Able to provide informed consent to take part in the study, or with a consultee who knows the person well and is able to provide a judgement about whether they would want to take part in the study
•Able to speak and understand English, or with a supporter who can act as translator for research methods
•Be willing in principle to take part in a music therapy group and attend weekly

排除标准

•Lacking capacity to provide informed consent and no consultee available
•Having an uncorrected hearing impairment which would significantly impact upon their ability to engage with the music therapy group
•Already receiving music therapy in a different context (they may participate if they are participating in other music activities that are not music therapy)
•Concurrently participating in another trial of a psychosocial intervention (or ceased participation within the past 6 weeks)
•Anticipated not to be able to attend at least 50% of sessions

研究组 & 干预措施

Group Music Therapy

Experimental

A 10-week programme will be conducted on a weekly basis at the Merton Memory Hub, and at the Eastways Day Centre

干预措施: Group Music Therapy (Behavioral)