Rhythm Playing Characteristics in Persons with Severe Dementia Including Those with Probable Alzheimer's Type

Abstract

Persons in the late stages of dementia, including those with probable Alzheimer's type, are in need of meaningful activities which contribute to their life quality. These activities are mandated by accrediting agencies for facilities which provide services for these persons, but their abilities to participate exclude them from most therapeutic programs. Some preliminary work in music therapy has indicated that rhythm applications are very successful with persons who are severely regressed with dementia and who can no longer function well enough to maintain their activities of daily living and require institutional care (Clair & Bernstein, 1990a; Clair & Bernstein, 1990b). The purpose of this study was to describe the rhythm playing characteristics of persons who receive institutional care and who have a diagnosis of dementia, including those with probable Alzheimer's type. In this study subjects served as their own controls. Results indicated that they increased significantly in their success to imitate progressively more complex rhythm patterns. They also had significantly more successful participation, defined as striking a drum with either their hands or with mallets, from the first baseline to the first experimental session in which the music therapist provided the structure for the rhythm activity. From the first to the last experimental session subjects did not increase significantly in their participation, but there was a significant decrease in participation from the last experimental session to the return to baseline session which followed it. Results also showed the most participation occurred with the floor tom followed by bass, paddle, and frame drums respectively. This study demonstrated the success of rhythm applications using drums with persons in late stage dementia. Implications are that applications based on the protocol used in this study will be successful in other settings and can serve as the foundation upon which to build programming for individuals in special care settings.