The Influence of Group Music Therapy on Residents with Dementia in a Special Care Unit

Empirical evidence on the influence of music therapy on persons with dementia in residential care homes is fairly limited. Residents often experience a low quality of life due to the prevalent medical model of care that focuses on health-related outcomes, rather than a person-centered approach to support and care for the whole person. This qualitative study explored the influence of group music therapy on quality of life in residents with dementia living in a special care unit. Data were generated through focused, ethnographic observations, interviews, document analysis and a focus group. The data provide a rich and in-depth understanding on the process and outcomes related to group music therapy’s influence on residents’ care home experience. The findings provide substantive insights on the role of music therapy in improving the quality of life for residents with dementia and have practice implications for music therapy programming in residential care facilities.