Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr Grant Gibson
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
While therapeutic interventions involving music have been shown to have benefits for people with dementia, little research has examined the role of music and music-related activities in their everyday lives. This paper presents the results of qualitative research that explored this role in terms of: the meaning and importance of music in everyday life; the benefits derived from participation in music-related activities; and the problems of engaging with music. Data were collected during in-depth interviews with 26 people with dementia and their carers, who lived either in their own homes or in residential care in different parts of England. The paper illustrates the many different ways in which people with dementia experience music. As well as being enjoyed in its own right, music can enable people to participate in activities that are enjoyable and personally meaningful. It is an important source of social cohesion and social contact, supports participation in various activities within and outside the household, and provides a degree of empowerment and control over their everyday situations. The practical implications for the provision of care and support for people with dementia are discussed. The scope and implications for technological development to promote access to music are also discussed.
Author(s): Sixsmith A, Gibson G
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Ageing and Society
Year: 2007
Volume: 27
Issue: 1
Pages: 127-145
ISSN (print): 0144-686X
ISSN (electronic): 1469-1779
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X06005228
DOI: 10.1017/S0144686X06005228
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
