Observations placeholder
Group music therapy and dementia
Identifier
027391
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
From Community Music Therapy – edited by Mercedes Pavlicevic and Gary Ansdell
In a small group music therapy session, three women and a music therapist improvise a kind of song-and-dance routine. The three women have dementia in the early or moderate stages, suffering short-term memory loss, confusion and anxiety. The music therapist supports them by singing with them and playing accordion.
It is a playful and creative interaction involving movement, song and much laughter, during which Alice says with delight, 'It's like Top of the Pops!'
When we come to a close Doris turns to Alice and says 'There you are - that's right - connection.'