Integrative Music in Elder Care: Optimizing Music and Music Therapy in Long-Term Care Communities

Integrative Music in Elder Care (IMEC) is a unique guide to person-centered, efficient, and cost-effective music programming in elder care communities. It includes seven principles that celebrate both music therapy and music-based life enrichment experiences, detailing the ways in which each benefits elders and explaining how they can co-exist in order to support the most residents.

Music therapists who are working or who want to work in elder care can use this handbook in advocacy, more clearly defining their own roles and impact in an elder care setting. They will find chapters on specific applications of music therapy in an elder care setting and on working within the treatment team. Administrators will get a rationale for the inclusion of both music therapy and music-based life enrichment experiences in elder care, an understanding of the unique benefits of assessment-based music therapy, and a model for maximizing resources by offering a range of music programming. Everyone will learn about how staff and volunteers can provide meaningful music activities in consultation with the music therapist.

The IMEC model is based on the recognition that: (1) everyone in an elder care community deserves access to music that will benefit them, (2) music therapists provide unique support for elders with specific challenges, (3) musical staff and volunteers can provide enjoyment and stimulation to larger groups of elders, and (4) in working together, the entire community – residents and staff – can benefit from a variety of music experiences: listening, playing, singing, moving to, and creating music.

CONTENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

1 Integrative Music in Elder Care: Vision & Principles

Betsey King & Laurie Keough

2 Assessment-Based Small Group & Individual Music Therapy

Laurie Keough & Betsey King

3 Every Body Has a Brain: Neurologically-Focused Music Therapy in Elder Care

Sam Snyder & Betsey King

4 Music Therapy and Hospice: A Seamless Transition into End-of-Life Care

Kim Best

5 Sourcing Quality Referrals: Making the Most of Your Relationships with the Long-Term Care Interdisciplinary Team

Theresa Smith

6 Repertoire Research & Rehash: Considerations for Selecting Music in Diverse Elder Communities

Gina Schuster & Erica Smith

7 Recreational Music Experiences

Andrea Peters

8 Performance-Based Ensembles

Erica Smith

9 Not Just a Sentimental Journey: Changing Needs in Elder Care

Molly Pow & Sam Snyder

10 One For All: Balancing Clinical Needs, Interests, and Expectations in Long-Term Care Music Therapy

Molly Pow

11 Conditions and Challenges for Elders

Betsey King

APPENDIX A: IMEC Principles and ABMT Defining Characteristics

Laurie Keough & Betsey King

APPENDIX B: Assessment-based Music Therapy Referral Checklist

Laurie Keough & Betsey King

APPENDIX C: Neurologically-focused Music Therapy Referral Form

Sam Snyder & Betsey King

APPENDIX D: Hospice Music Therapy Referral Form

Kim Best

APPENDIX E: Hospice Music Therapy Assessment

Kim Best

APPENDIX F: Music Therapy Services Referral Form

St. Ann’s Community, Rochester, NY

APPENDIX G: Blank Music Therapy Referral Form for Electronic Medical Records System

St. Ann’s Community, Rochester, NY

APPENDIX H: Example of Completed Music Therapy Referral Form

St. Ann’s Community, Rochester, NY

APPENDIX I: Music Pictionary

Andrea Peters

APPENDIX J: Name that Tune (“Green” Tune Edition with clues)

Andrea Peters

APPENDIX K: Name that Tune (Showtunes Edition)

Andrea Peters

APPENDIX L: Jeopardy

Andrea Peters

APPENDIX M: Musical Wheel of Fortune (Love Edition)

Andrea Peters

APPENDIX N: Choir Seating Chart

Erica Smith

APPENDIX O: Christmas Choir To-Do List

Erica Smith

APPENDIX P: Concert Jobs

Erica Smith

APPENDIX Q: Holiday Concert Program

Erica Smith

INDEX