Pharmaceutical interventions for dementia are prescribed to manage symptoms, however these treatments often involve undesirable side effects, therefore, exploration of non-pharmaceutical interventions for dementia, such as music therapy, are needed.
Music therapy is a cost effective, easily implemented intervention for dementia, however, how music therapy improves symptoms of dementia is largely unknown. Understanding how music therapy improves symptoms of dementia will allow for a greater understanding of brain processes during music therapy, and weather music therapy and musical training can delay the progression of dementia.
This study will investigate the effect of a 10-week music therapy program for people living with mild dementia.
This study has been approved by the Swinburne University of Technology Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval number 20236764-13537)
We invite individuals who meet the following criteria to participant in this 10-week study;
- have a diagnosis of mild dementia
- can walk at least 10 metres without mobility aids
- speak English
- live in Victoria (participation requires attendance at the Swinburne University of Technology Hawthorn campus)
If selected to participate, you will be put into one of two groups.
- Music therapy group - total participation = 18 hours (twice a week for 8 weeks),
- Non-music therapy group - total participation = 3 hours (1.5 hours at both week 1 and week 10).
If you are interested in participating or would like further information, [please contact Benjamin Slade (contact details below)