Take a moment to reflect on your responses to hearing about this man’s experiences in music therapy. What did it make you think or feel?
It can be helpful to note your thoughts and feelings down for you to reflect on later.
What do you observe of the process of using music within this example? How did Kassandra use music to support change?
Expand to see answers
1. Use of familiar music to start such as folk songs, known songs from music therapy.
2. Use of gentle music initially to match mood.
3. Started small – connecting first through singing.
4. Build on these small moments by:
- acknowledging effort.
- gently beginning to introduce more musical and sensory aspects like gently tapping arm in time to the music.
- steadily increasing the activation level of the music – faster and more upbeat music.
- Gently introducing aspects of the environment to support growing awareness of the here-and-now i.e. describing where we are; small drops of water.
- Continuing to sing together to support the transition from the bathroom to bedroom.
5. Sharing what was learnt with team.
Take a moment a moment to think how this approach might support you in your work/care of people living with dementia. In which contexts might you try it?
It can be helpful to note your thoughts and feelings down for you to reflect on later.
