JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Music has long been identified as a non-pharmacological tool that can provide benefits for people with dementia, and there is considerable interest in designing technologies to support the use of music in dementia care. However, to ensure music technologies are appropriately designed for supporting caregivers and people living with dementia, there remains a need to better understand how music is currently used in everyday dementia care at home.

Objective:

This study aimed to understand how people living with dementia and their caregivers use music and music technologies in everyday caring, as well as the challenges they experience using music and technology.

Methods:

This study used a mixed methods design. A survey was completed by 77 caregivers and people with dementia to understand their use of music and technology. Subsequently, 18 survey respondents (12 family caregivers, 6 people living with dementia) participated in focus groups regarding their experiences of using music and technology in care. Interview transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results:

Most survey respondents (including both people living with dementia and their caregivers) said they used music often in their daily lives. Participants reported a range of technologies used for listening to music, such as CDs, radio, and streaming. Focus groups highlighted benefits and challenges of using music and music technologies in everyday care. Participants identified using music and music technologies to regulate mood, provide joy, facilitate social interaction and connection, encourage reminiscence, provide continuity before and after diagnosis, and to make caregiving easier. Challenges of using music technology in everyday caring included difficulties with staying up to date with evolving technology, and low self-efficacy for technology use expressed by people living with dementia.

Conclusions:

This study shows that people with a dementia diagnosis and their caregivers already use music and music technologies to support their everyday care needs. Results suggest opportunities to design technologies that enable easier access to music and to support people living with dementia with recreational and therapeutic music listening and music-based activities.