Implementation of personalized music listening for assisted living residents with dementia.
Kelly Murphy, Winston W Liu, Daniel Goltz and 4 others
PMID 29731392WHAT IT FOUND
Staff recorded improved mood in 461 encounters, no change in 255, and worsening in 26 after personalized music.
Residents sang, smiled, and moved. No comparison group was used, so this cannot show music alone caused the change.
Key findings
01Excluding refused encounters, resident response showed improved mood 461 times, no change 255 times, and worsening 26 times.
02Some minimally verbal residents started singing along or told volunteers they liked the music.
03By the end of the initial 8 months, all medication technicians working in the facility were actively participating in the program.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The paper reports staff observations before and during the program, not a comparison with another group. Mood was judged by medication technicians using a simple gestalt impression. Session length was not recorded, and music was often given with student visits and staff interaction, so the effect of music alone cannot be separated. The program was in a single assisted living facility with staff turnover and administrative changes, so results may not transfer to other settings. The paper did not measure medication use or fall outcomes.
Declared interests
The supplied article text does not report author conflicts or funding. The supplied publication type lists non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read staff-reported improvements as proof that personalized music alone works. The authors say attention from medication technicians and volunteers might account for some positive changes, and mood was judged by a simple staff impression.