Quality in dementia care through the implementation of person-attuned musical interactions (PAMI)

(The project has been granted 5.696.250,- divided equally between the grant areas "Humanities and social science research and culture" and "Transitions and changes during the adult life")

Great demands are placed on professional care home staff who take care of people with dementia. They must be professionally skilled, good at communicating, and in explaining their professional actions to colleagues. At the same time, carers are often at risk of being overloaded and stressed, and persons with dementia at risk of being prescribed antipsychotic medication. In caring for people with severe dementia, it is necessary for carers to engage non-verbally to create trust and comfort and be present in a mutual relationship. Such an approach is described in detail as person-attuned musical interaction, PAMI, for which extensive teaching material has already been developed for carers working in residential care home contexts. Using an exploratory research design and qualitative methods in a collaborative project between Aalborg University and selected municipalities, we will examine how carers are supported in implementing PAMI in daily dementia care, and how the new professional tools and competencies affect practice and a caring culture.