Merton Music Therapy Community-based Dementia Project

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Dementia (Diagnosis)

In brief

The goal of this single arm interventional, pre-post study is to learn about the feasibility and impact of group music therapy sessions for people living with dementia in two different community settings. This research will answer the following questions: 1. What is the impact of the music therapy groups upon attendees (people with dementia and informal carers) and does this differ between the two settings? 2. What is the impact of the music therapy groups upon staff and culture in the settings (day centre and memory hub staff)? 3. Is it feasible to conduct the study in these two settings? (recruitment, retention, attendance, delivery, data collection) 4. What are the barriers and facilitators to implementation in each setting? Participants will attend at weekly a music therapy group for a period of 10 weeks, either at the Merton Memory Hub run by Alzheimer's Society or at Eastways Day Centre run by Merton Council (Adult Social Care). These sessions will be led by a fully qualified, HCPC registered music therapist with experience working with people living with dementia. The music programme will be designed to promote engagement, social connection, enjoyment and personal identity with the overall aim to support quality of life, emotional regulation and the relationship quality between the person living with dementia and their carer. Data collection will involve mixed methods, such as quantitative validated questionnaires about wellbeing, loneliness, relationship quality between the carer and patient. These will be asked to both the person living with dementia and the carer. The music therapist will also conduct an observational Music in Dementia Assessment Scale on the behaviour of the participants living with dementia during the music therapy sessions. Qualitative data will be a semi-structured interview of about 20-30 mins to discuss with the participants, staff included, about their experiences once the programme is finished.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07701044

Run by

Anglia Ruskin University

People needed

28

Starts

2026-10-01

Expected to finish

2026-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-07-29

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• With a diagnosis of dementia (or the informal/family carer to someone with a diagnosis of dementia who is participating in the study)
• Able to provide informed consent to take part in the study, or with a consultee who knows the person well and is able to provide a judgement about whether they would want to take part in the study
• Able to speak and understand English, or with a supporter who can act as translator for research methods
• Be willing in principle to take part in a music therapy group and attend weekly

You may not qualify if…

• Lacking capacity to provide informed consent and no consultee available
• Having an uncorrected hearing impairment which would significantly impact upon their ability to engage with the music therapy group
• Already receiving music therapy in a different context (they may participate if they are participating in other music activities that are not music therapy)
• Concurrently participating in another trial of a psychosocial intervention (or ceased participation within the past 6 weeks)
• Anticipated not to be able to attend at least 50% of sessions

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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