Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - Research Publications

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Empowering Caregivers of People Living with Dementia to Use Music Therapeutically at Home: Design Opportunities

Carrasco, R ; Baker, FA ; Bukowska, AA ; Clark, IN ; Flynn, LM ; McMahon, K ; Odell-Miller, H ; Stensaeth, K ; Tamplin, J ; Sousa, TV ; Waycott, J ; Wosch, T (ACM, 2020-12-02)

Human-computer interaction researchers have explored how to design technologies to support people with dementia (PwD) and their caregivers, but limited attention has been given to how to facilitate music therapy in dementia care. The use of music to help manage the symptoms of dementia is often guided by a music therapist who adapts the intervention to respond to the changing needs of the person living with dementia. However, as the incidence of dementia increases worldwide, individualised therapy programs are less feasible, making it valuable to consider technology-based approaches. In this paper, we analyze data from case studies of home-based music therapy training interventions with two families. The findings show that embodied interactions supported the therapist in responding to the needs of the PwD and built an empathic environment that empowered the caregivers' learning. We discuss opportunities and challenges for designing technologies that support family caregivers' therapy-informed music use in dementia care.