Project
A team of researchers, clinicians and people living with dementia, led by Dr. Hilary Moss and Ms Lisa Kelly, are together developing telehealth (online) music therapy services for people living with dementia and their family caregivers. Through collaboration and engagement with members of The Dementia Research Advisory Team at The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, this project will develop accessible online music therapy programmes for those who are at risk of isolation, living in isolated rural areas, have limited mobility or increased cognitive decline.
Memory loss and verbal decline associated with dementia increases the risk of social isolation. Many people living with dementia retain the ability to sing and engage with music even at the later stages of the disease. Music therapy harnesses this ability, providing opportunities for self-expression and meaningful engagement through musical interventions such as song singing, song writing and movement to music. Access to music therapy services is uneven and largely absent in many rural areas. Additionally, other factors may inhibit the person from attending music therapy in-person including increased cognitive decline, mobility issues and access to reliable transport. The implementation of telehealth, or the online delivery of healthcare, has the potential to negate these barriers and provide an accessible music therapy service to promote psychosocial well-being.
• Prof. Ita Richardson – Lero – The Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software • The Dementia Research Advisory Team at The Alzheimer Society of Ireland • Music therapy department at The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, UL • Health Research Institute, UL • Aging Research Cluster, UL • International Special Interest Group of the International Association of Music and Medicine
Each phase of this research is evaluated. The Dementia Research Advisory Team at The Alzheimer Society advise on each phase of the research to ensure it remains relevant and beneficial for people living with dementia and their family caregivers. A full evaluation of participants’ experiences of engaging in online music therapy will be conducted using qualitative methodologies.