Quality of life in institutionalized elderly people with moderate-severe dementia: Contributions from music therapy

Different studies show the benefits of music therapy on the Quality of Life of people with dementia, especially on the maintenance of preserved skills, expression, and socialization. The objectives of this presentation are: (1) To present empirical data on the effects of music therapy programs on the quality of life of elderly people with moderate-severe dementia, who live in nursing homes; and (2) To identify and analyze the changes in affect that may take place during music therapy sessions. The design used was quasi-experimental pretest/posttest. The sample included 10 people with moderate-severe dementia. The scale GENCAT on quality of life (Verdugo, 2008) was administered at two different times: At sessions 1 and 12; and sessions 1, 6, and 12 were recorded for “post-hoc” analysis. Data were analyzed with Windows software (version 17) and SCRIBE 4.1, depending on the objectives. Results show no changes in the overall quality of life, but positive changes in the emotional well-being and personal development subscales. Also video observations show positive changes in affect after the music therapy program.