Aligning Kitwood’s model of person-centered dementia care with music therapy practice

Person-centered dementia care has been extensively integrated into music therapy practice; its central aim being to meet the core psychological needs of people with dementia, uphold personhood, and contribute to enhanced quality of life. Furthermore, Kitwood’s model has been widely referenced as the theoretical framework underpinning multiple studies with people with dementia. However, few studies explore it in more concrete terms, expand on how it is implemented in practice, or describe how “positive person work” can be facilitated in music therapy with this population. This paper aims to address these lacunae, by presenting a comprehensive overview of Kitwood’s model; identifying how it has informed music therapy practice, and highlighting current applications of “person-centered music therapy” in relation to meeting the core psychological needs of people with dementia. Furthermore, the authors present practical considerations on facilitating “positive person work” in music therapy, drawing on their experiences of providing music therapy in dementia care.</p

“Follow the musical road”: selecting appropriate music experiences for people with dementia living in the community

There are many music experiences for people with dementia and their caregivers including but not limited to individualized playlists, music and singing groups, dementia-inclusive choirs and concerts, and music therapy. While the benefits of these music experiences have been well documented, an understanding of the differences between them is often absent. However, knowledge of and distinction between these experiences are crucial to people with dementia and their family members, caregivers, and health practitioners to ensure a comprehensive music approach to dementia care is provided. Considering the array of music experiences available, choosing the most appropriate music experience can be challenging. This is an exploratory phenomenological study with significant Public and Patient Involvement (PPI). Through consultation with PPI contributors with dementia via an online focus group and senior music therapists working in dementia care via online semi-structured interviews, this paper aims to identify these distinctions and to address this challenge by providing a visual step-by-step guide. This guide can be consulted when choosing an appropriate music experience for a person with dementia living in the community. </p