Music and Dementia

Sandra Garrido has a background in both music and psychology and is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour & Development at Western Sydney University. She previously received a Fellowship from the National Health & Medical Council of Australia to investigate the effects of music listening on people living with dementia and has been researching this topic for 8 years. She has published numerous articles on this topic in peer reviewed and industry journals as well as taking part in training for aged care staff on the effective use of music. She has developed online training and an alternative credential for aged care staff on the effective use of music and her guidelines for developing personalized playlist programs are widely in use in aged care in Australia.

Part 1 – Understanding Dementia and How Music Affects the Brain
1. What is Dementia?
2. Music & the Brain
3. Music as Therapy

Part 2 – The Benefits of Music for People Living With Dementia
4. The Effect on Mood
5. Cognition
6. Relationships
7. Behavior Support
8. Supporting the Caregiver Journey

Part 3 – Practical Implications: Implementing Music Playlist Programs for People Living With Dementia
9. The Challenges, Barriers and Benefits to Using Music in Residential Aged Care
10. Understanding the Potential for Negative Responses
11. Reflecting on Areas of Care that Music Could Support
12. Investigating Personal Preferences
13. Creating Playlists
14. Making Decisions About Technology
15. Monitoring, Managing Negative Responses, and Integration into Care Plans
16. Evaluating and Justifying Music Programs in an Aged Care Context
17. Implementing Music Programs Online
18. Summary, Conclusions and Future Directions