Music therapy embedded in the life of dementia inpatient care
This study is exploring how music therapy can help people with dementia who are experiencing significant distress on NHS mental health wards. Sometimes, people with dementia become so distressed that they need hospital care to understand and manage their symptoms. Current approaches often involve calming medications, which can have side effects. Music therapy has shown promise in reducing distress in other settings, and this project aims to create a special music therapy guide (called MELODIC) for mental health wards. This guide will be developed with input from people with dementia, their families, and staff who work on these wards. The study will then test this guide on two mental health wards to see if it can help reduce distress and improve care, with the ultimate goal of making this resource available more widely.
At a glance
What is this study about?
Imagine being in a hospital because you're feeling very upset, scared, or confused, especially if you have dementia. This is a common challenge for some people with dementia who are staying on NHS mental health wards. These wards are designed to help understand and treat intense distress, but it can be a difficult time for everyone involved. Sometimes, if someone is very distressed, they might behave in ways that could put themselves or others at risk. Currently, calming medications are often used, but these can have unwanted side effects like increasing the risk of falls.
This study is looking into whether music therapy can offer a gentler, yet effective, way to help. Music therapy has already shown good results in reducing distress for people with dementia living in care homes, and it can help staff understand why someone might be feeling upset. However, we don't know enough about how it can help in the unique environment of a mental health ward. Some early findings from the research team suggest that when music therapy was used on these wards, there were fewer difficult situations, and staff saw positive changes.
The main goal of this 18-month project is to create a special guide for music therapy on mental health wards. This guide, called MELODIC, will be developed with the help of people who truly understand the experience: people with dementia, their family members, and the staff who work on these wards. Once the guide is created, it will be tested on two mental health wards for a month to see how well it works in reducing distress and challenging behaviours. The hope is that this guide can then be shared widely to improve care for many more people with dementia.
Key takeaways
- The study explores music therapy for distressed people with dementia on NHS mental health wards.
- It aims to create a music therapy guide with input from patients, families, and staff.
- The guide will be tested on two NHS mental health wards to see if it reduces distress.
- If successful, the music therapy guide (MELODIC) could improve care more widely.
- Participation involves sharing experiences or (if on a chosen ward) experiencing music therapy.
- The study runs from June 2023 to February 2025 and is funded by a UK research body.
Who may be eligible?
This study involves different stages with different people. For the first stage, researchers want to talk to people who have personal experience with NHS mental health wards for dementia. This means if you have stayed on one of these wards yourself, visited a family member there, or worked on one in the last five years, you might be able to take part in an interview or group chat. You need to be able to speak English and have experienced a ward specifically for people with dementia within the NHS, not a private hospital or a general hospital ward.
Later on, for the third stage, two specific NHS mental health wards for dementia will be chosen to test the music therapy guide. If you happen to be a patient, visitor, or staff member on one of those chosen wards during the testing period, you will be able to take part in that part of the study. This means everyone on those specific wards can experience and contribute to the testing of the music therapy.
Could this study suit you?
Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.
- Have I or a close family member experienced an NHS mental health ward for dementia in the last 5 years?
- Was the ward specifically for people with dementia, not a general hospital or private facility?
- Can I speak English?
- Do I want to share my experiences to help improve care for people with dementia?
- Am I over 18 years old?
What does participation involve?
This study is split into three main parts. In the first part, you might be asked to take part in an interview or a focus group (a group discussion). This is where you would share your experiences of being on, visiting, or working on mental health wards for people with dementia. These chats will help the researchers understand how distress is currently managed and what kind of support people need.
In the second part, the research team will use the information gathered to create the music therapy guide. They will work together with people with dementia, their families, and staff to make sure the guide is useful and practical.
The third part involves testing the music therapy guide on two chosen mental health wards over four weeks. If your ward is one of those chosen, you (as a patient, visitor, or staff member) would be able to experience the music therapy delivered by a trained professional. There are no medications involved in this study. The total study will run from June 2023 to February 2025.
Potential risks and benefits
Locations (8)
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation TrustCity onlyCambridge, United Kingdom
- Humber Teaching NHS Foundation TrustCity onlyHull, United Kingdom
- Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS TrustCity onlyBath, United Kingdom
- Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust HqCity onlyWest Bromwich, United Kingdom
- Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS TrustApproximateWorcester, United Kingdom
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (headquarters)UnverifiedNorth Shields, United Kingdom
- South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation TrustUnverifiedWakefield, United Kingdom
- Woodlands Care CentreUnverifiedCambridge, United Kingdom
Common questions
What is music therapy?
Music therapy uses music to help people improve their health and well-being. It's led by a trained professional who uses music activities like listening, singing, or playing instruments to support emotional, social, and physical needs.
What are mental health wards for people with dementia?
These are special hospital wards designed to help people with dementia who are experiencing severe distress, confusion, or challenging behaviours that cannot be managed at home or in other care settings.
Will I have to take any new medicines if I join?
No, this study is about music therapy, not new medications. There are no plans to introduce or change your medication as part of this research.
How long will the study last if I take part?
The overall study runs for 18 months, from June 2023 to February 2025. If you participate in an interview or focus group, it would be a one-off session. If you are on a ward where the music therapy is being tested, the testing period will last for four weeks.
Who is paying for this research?
The study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, which is a big research funder in the UK.
How to find out more
Naomi Thompson
Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.
Discussion
Community discussion
Powered by our forum at community.patient.info. Please be respectful — this is not medical advice.