Care staff experiences of facilitating person-centered care and resident involvement through the use of individualized music in dementia care

Abstract

Introduction: To meet the needs of persons with dementia, adequate psychosocial interventions such as individualized music (IM) therapy is needed through resident involvement and person-centered care.Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the experience of care staff working with IM in nursing home residents with dementia.Method: A qualitative, explorative, and descriptive design was used. Semistructured interviews of seven care staff from four nursing homes were carried out.Result: The main findings included improved person-centered care and resident involvement, categorized in the three main themes: (1) IM in care staff-resident relation, (2) IM as a psychosocial intervention for agitation and restlessness, and (3) IM and job satisfaction in care staff.Conclusion: These findings suggest that IM can improve facilitation of person-centered care, thus providing an increased focus on resident involvement.