An analysis of group singing intervention for patients with dementia : a scoping review of the literature

Abstract

Music therapists frequently provide services to individuals with dementia. Music therapists employ various techniques such as instrumental playing, improvisation, music listening, and group singing to decelerate cognitive declines, promote social interaction, enhance the quality of life and provide emotional and physiological support to aid in managing symptoms related to dementia. Group singing is one of the most frequently employed music interventions with the elderly population, owing to its multifaceted benefits. In fact, a number of clinical studies have been conducted to examine the impact of group singing on patients with dementia. Given the broad range of approaches and strategies employed in implementing group singing in music therapy, a comprehensive review is warranted. Therefore, this scoping review was conducted to analyze the existing music therapy literature on group singing interventions for patients with dementia, with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of the specific intervention goals, methods, and strategies employed. For this, a thorough search of three scholarly databases and hand-search of seven music therapy journals were conducted. From this search, 17 articles were identified and analyzed. Upon analysis, it was discovered that group singing interventions in music therapy for individuals with dementia were employed to address specific goals under cognitive, emotional, social, physiological, and behavioral domains. Furthermore, corresponding intervention strategies were derived from the data. These specific group singing methods and their corresponding strategies were subsequently explored. Additionally, the review offers discussion on the need for future research and limitations of this review.