MUSIC THERAPY: Empowering People Living with Alzheimer’s Disease Alison Ledger BMus (Mus Thy) (Hons), RMT, ATCL Cameron Haigh BMus (Mus Thy) (Hons), RMT
A MUSIC THERAPY GROUP Sample structure Greeting and Warmup - medley of popular songs sung Movement - structured movement to music Body - quiz / theme / instrumental play, etc Relaxation - structured relaxation to music Closing song and farewell
Music Therapy: Improvisation, Communication and Culture (Even Ruud, 1998)
AFFECTIVE AWARENESS ability to reflect on and express emotions
Audio example
AGENCY achievement, competency, mastery & empowerment
Alzheimer’s patients could learn new material when it was presented in the context of a song. Prickett and Moore (1991) Singing despite impaired verbal communication skills. (Clair, 2000; Fitzgerald-Cloutier, 1993; Olderog Millard & Smith, 1989) AGENCY
Continued participation in instrumental playing despite other capacities deteriorating. ( Clair and Bernstein, 1990a; 1990b) Rhythmic activities may be particularly accessible. (Ebberts, 1994; Pollack & Namazi, 1992) AGENCY
Audio example
“I’ve never sung so many old songs” “I know all the old songs” “I made that up!” “we’re good, aren’t we?” AGENCY
BELONGING Being with others through music: being involved being included deep relationship
BELONGING
Being with others through music: being involved being included deep relationship
MEANING sense of wholeness and purpose in life despite a subjective state of feeling or suffering
MEANING “I like the music because it gives me sense in the background, and without that sense it all gets lost”
MEANING sense of wholeness and purpose in life despite a subjective state of feeling or suffering
MEANING
sense of wholeness and purpose in life despite a subjective state of feeling or suffering
“Thank you for thinking of my husband” “music takes me back to the beach” “music takes you back more than activities” MEANING
MUSIC THERAPY: Empowering People Living with Alzheimer’s Disease Alison Ledger Cameron Haigh Australian Music Therapy Association