Seven in ten older people living in care homes have dementia. Only one in twenty care homes uses music strategically to support their residents. There aren’t many trials that have studied the use of music for people living with dementia in care homes, but it is understood that personalised music may help the residents feel more relaxed and content.
During the study design, the PUMA team talked to people living with dementia, their families, and caregivers. In general, they liked the idea of using music more in daily care. Still, some felt that communal music groups in busy environments might make some people living with dementia feel upset. This led to the decision to use music in a personalised way for each resident.
The study aims to answer the question: In people living with dementia in care homes, does incorporating personalised music into care plans using the FITS (Focussed Intervention Training and Support) model reduce distress compared with standard practice without a systematic music intervention?
Research aims
Teach dementia care staff how to use music in a personalised way as part of the care plan.
Investigate whether personalised music in care planning can help care home residents by reducing dementia-related behaviours and distress.
See if using personalised music can help care home staff to care for residents more easily.
Design and methods
First, the study will examine how dementia care is typically delivered in 58 care homes. Then, in 29 of these care homes, the PUMA team will provide training to care staff on how to plan and use personalised music for each resident living with dementia, including creating personalised playlists and integrating music into daily care routines.
An average of seven residents per home can have their own personalised music at any time. The other 29 care homes will continue to care for residents as usual, without training in using music.
Care home staff will answer questions before and after they learn to use music in a personalised way. The study will compare care homes that received training with those that did not. The answers will tell us if the music helps residents feel less distressed.
At the end of the study, the team will interview care staff and managers to understand their views on the use of personalised music in the care home.
This £2,04M NIHR-funded project is sponsored by Sheffield Health Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust. It is led by Dr Daniel Hind, University of Leeds, with the University of Sheffield's CTRU providing trial management and support.
Contact details
You can get in touch with the study team: puma@sheffield.ac.uk