Merton Music Therapy Community-based Dementia Project
ConditionDementia (Diagnosis)
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorAnglia Ruskin University
About this trial
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:
1. 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? 2. What is the impact of the music therapy groups upon staff and culture in the settings (day centre and memory hub staff)? 3. Is it feasible to conduct the study in these two settings? (recruitment, retention, attendance, delivery, data collection) 4. 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.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
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
Disqualifiers
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)
Trial design
Design model
Single group
Treatments tested in this trial
Group Music Therapy
BehavioralThe music therapy sessions in this study will be delivered by a fully qualified, HCPC registered music therapist with experience in working with people with dementia. The 10-week programme will include accessible musical resources and activities which participants can integrate into their daily lives, allowing the benefits of music therapy to be sustained longer-term, and potentially beyond the duration of the intervention itself. Session activities will include some combination of the following: singing familiar songs, receptive music listening, improvised music making, music-based games (such as rhythmic copying or turn taking), movement to music, and songwriting, as well as time for sharing, discussion and reflection.
Treatment groups
28 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment groupGroup A: Group Music TherapyExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale - 7-item version
A validated 7-item questionnaire designed to measure positive mental wellbeing. Derived from the original 14-item WEMWBS, it focuses on psychological functioning and emotional resilience over the past two weeks. Will be conducted by both the PwD and their Carer.
Time frame
Pre and post 10-week programme2
ICECAP-O (ICEpop CAPability measure for Older people)
A self-administered questionnaire used to evaluate the broader quality of life and wellbeing of older individuals. Will be conducted by both the PwD and their carer.
Time frame
Pre and post 10-week programme3
EQ-5D-5L
A standardized, patient-completed questionnaire used to measure an individual's overall health-related quality of life. The accronym stands for EuroQol-5 Dimension 5 Levels. Will be conducted by both the PwD and their Carer.
Time frame
Pre and post 10-week programme4
QCPR - Quality of the Caregiver-Patient Relationship Scale
A 14-item questionnaire designed to measure the emotional quality of relationships between caregivers and patients. It operates independently of kinship and features two parallel versions-one completed by the caregiver and the other by the care recipient.
Time frame
Pre and post 10-week programme - one for the PwD and one for the CarerLocations
Sponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
Anglia Ruskin University
Lead sponsor
London Borough of Merton Council
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov
This trial is not recruiting at the moment. You can still explore other options: