New research project aims to improve the well-being of dementia patients with music

One of the goals of the National Dementia Action Plan is to reduce the consumption of antipsychotic medication among people with dementia. A new collaborative project between Aalborg University, selected municipalities and a number of care centers is now seeing the light of day.

The goal is to teach and motivate staff to use song and music in the daily care of people with dementia as an alternative to coercion and medical treatment. It involves a special method called Personalized Musical Interaction (PAMI), developed in collaboration with music therapists. It is a tool that is based on daily dementia care and is also intended to strengthen the well-being and professionalism of employees.

Project manager and professor of music therapy Hanne Mette Ochsner Ridder says:

"When caring for people with severe dementia, non-verbal forms of communication are needed to create safety and presence. And we know from previous research projects that music therapy can make a real difference to the well-being of both people with dementia and employees. We will now investigate how employees can be supported in using song and music as part of daily dementia care in Denmark."

The project runs until 2027 and will involve researchers from Aalborg University, music therapists, staff and dementia patients from a number of care centers in the following municipalities: Kolding, Odense, Odsherred, Vejen and Vejle.

"We want to help create fundamental change for vulnerable groups by bringing humanistic research together with practice as part of our interdisciplinary collaboration between the foundation's grant areas. It is our hope and expectation that the experiences and results that Hanne and her team will achieve can strengthen institutions in improving care and make a real difference in the everyday life of care centers across the country. We look forward to following the project closely," says Henrik Tronier, Senior Adviser and Head of Programme for Humanities and social science research and culture at VELUX FONDEN.

In the project, music therapists will provide training courses for staff at the care centers based on the PAMI method. The method can give staff at care centers a skills boost and renewed insight into intimate care. This is done in close collaboration between management, music therapists and care staff to investigate how PAMI can quality assure care practices.

"I have already started training employees in PAMI. It's great to be out in the field and see how they embrace the method. It's really something they can use. And it's especially beneficial for people with dementia. It's important that PAMI is researched, and I'm looking forward to being part of the research project," says Emil Palmquist, music therapist, Vejle Municipality.