American Music Therapy Association

The AMTA-Pro podcast for July, 2013, Music Therapy for Older People, begins with our colleague Dr. Anne Lipe sharing an overview of music therapy with older adults, including the history of music therapy services with this diverse population, the impact of the 1991 hearing before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging on the growth of music therapy services and research, and the broad range of possibilities for music therapy services across the spectrum for older people living independently in the community, individuals in assisted living and adult day care, and people living in long-term care facilities. The second part of this podcast features the work of music therapists Dr. Betsey King and Laurie Keogh in a privately funded music therapy demonstration project for individuals living in the community who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The project, which has since been replicated, not only resulted in the documentation of, among other things, a decrease in agitation and perseveration of words and phrases as well as an increase in social interaction for the participants, but also confirmed the validity of assessment-based small-group and individual music therapy as a cost-effective service significantly impacting quality of life. This podcast ends with an informal discussion of the exciting possibilities for growth in music therapy services for older people in the community and in long-term care.

 

A benefit of membership in AMTA, current AMTA members may log in at the AMTA website with email address and password, then click AMTA-pro under Quick Links for the podcast, photos, resources, helpful hints, and other timely information. Or go to the overview page at http://www.musictherapy.org/members/amtapro_overview/