The benefits of caregiver singing and receptive music in dementia care: a qualitative study of professional caregivers’ experiences

Journal

Arts & Health

Year

2025

Abstract

For persons with dementia, receptive music may reduce negative expressions and increase positive ones. Caregiver singing (CS) is an intervention aimed at facilitating care situations and involves caregivers singing for or together with persons with dementia during care activities. In the literature, CS is commonly addressed as a music activity rather than a care intervention. The aim was to describe caregivers’ experiences of the reactions of persons with dementia when using CS and receptive music in dementia care. The data comprised three focus group interviews with 12 professional caregivers in dementia care, analysed using qualitative content analysis. the analysis resulted in two themes: “CS increases interaction and builds companionship” and “Receptive music soothes, awakens memories and reflects the person’s self”. Both CS and receptive music was shown to have positive influences, and while the results were sometimes intertwined, CS was shown to better facilitate problematic care situations.

Music and Health Institute Terms

Neurodegenerative Disorders; Alzheimer's and Related Dementias; Music Medicine; Music Listening; Live Music Listening; Caregivers; Music-based Interventions; Subjective Measures

Indexed Terms

Caregiver singing; dementia care; focus group interviews; qualitative content analysis; receptive music

Study Type

Case Study; Qualitative Methods

PubMed ID

Publisher: Taylor & Francis _eprint: https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2024.2320248 PMID: 38389120

Document Type

Article

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