St. Joseph’s Alzheimer’s Adult Day Program Music Therapy Group

“Not bad for an old 85 year old!” —The Qualitative Analysis of the Role of Music, Therapeutic Benefits and Group Therapeutic Factors of the St. Joseph’s Alzheimer’s Adult Day Program Music Therapy Group

Heidi Ahonen-Eerikäinen, PhD, MTA
Karie Rippin, BMT, MTA
Natalie Sibille, MPA
Rhea Koch, BASc
Dawn M. Dalby, PhD

Abstract

The aim of this interdisciplinary research project was to gain new understanding into how a music therapy intervention affects the quality of life for clients with dementia. The research was based on the qualitative paradigm, adapted grounded theory, and narrative inquiry (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000; Coffey & Atkinson, 1996; Corbin & Strauss, 1998; Glaser & Strauss, 1967, 1999; Strauss & Corbin, 1990, 1997; Glaser, 1998; Amir; Ceglowski, 1997; Glesne, 1997). Music therapy sessions of the Music Therapy program at St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Guelph, Ontario, Canada were videotaped and qualitatively analyzed. Residents, family members, and staff were interviewed and the interviews were qualitatively analyzed in order to obtain their perspective. This article summarizes one set of the results of this interdisciplinary study, the qualitative analysis of therapeutic benefits and group therapeutic factors of the St. Joseph’s Alzheimer’s Adult Day Program Music Therapy Group. The video-taped sessions of clients with dementia showed that, by participating in the MT sessions, they (1.) were able to work through some of their initial negative feelings (e.g., feeling sad, frustrated, stupid), (2.) began to feel proud of their accomplishments and eventually (3.) began to really enjoy the experience. The research project was funded by the Lloyd Carr-Harris Foundation.

Citation:

Ahonen-Eerikainen, H., Rippin, K., Sibille, N., Koch, R., Dawn, D. (2007) “Not bad for an old 85 year old!” —The Qualitative Analysis of the Role of Music,Therapeutic Benefits and Group Therapeutic Factors of the St. Joseph’s Alzheimer’s Adult Day Program Music Therapy Group. Canadian Music Therapy 2, 37-64.