Music Therapy in the Care of Elderly Patients with Dementia : a descriptive literature review

Abstract

The rationale for this thesis was to explore the recent trends in music therapy interventions and therapeutic outcomes. The purpose of this thesis was to describe music therapy in dementia care. The thesis aimed to generate evidence-informed insights into music therapy outcomes and interventions in dementia care within residential care homes. This thesis adopted a qualitative research methodology and used a descriptive literature review as a method. The analysis method was an inductive content analysis. 10 selected studies were examined. The article's results were divided into two main categories: outcomes and interventions. The results of the thesis disclosed two types of music therapy outcomes: cognitive and psychological outcomes, and social and functional outcomes. Three types of interventions demonstrated: music activity modes, delivery format and logistics, and therapeutic strategies. In conclusion, delicately designed music therapy is an effective intervention for older adults living with dementia, providing cognitive, psychological, social and functional benefits. A limitation of this thesis is that the articles analysed were selected within the past 5 years.