Abstract
Malnutrition among older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) is a serious and long-recognized health concern. Identifying nonpharmacological means for enhancing the volume of nutrition intake is an urgent need. Researchers have explored the use of music and music therapy as nonpharmacological avenues in this regard, but most music-based studies related to food intake focus on receptive interventions wherein participants are exposed to recorded music during meal times. The purpose of the present research is to investigate whether residents with ADRD would significantly increase their volume of food intake during the midday meal immediately following 30 minutes of active singing engagement facilitated by a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC). Results indicated no significant change in food intake for participants with ADRD in three long-term care facilities. However, the unintended finding at two facilities wherein participants’ food intake was greater during baseline weeks versus treatment weeks led to speculation about the impact of serotonin which researchers report is released during enjoyable music engagement episodes, but that has also long been recognized as an appetite suppressant. With this newly interpreted finding, recommendation is offered for monitoring when music therapy is provided for individuals with ADRD and nutritional complications relative to their meal times toward minimizing potential adverse effects.
Highlights
Malnutrition among older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) is a serious and long-recognized health concern (Amella et al, 2008; Lin et al, 2010; van Ort & Phillips, 1995; Volkert et al, 2018)
Most music-based studies related to food intake focus on receptive interventions, in which participants are exposed to recorded music in the dining area during meal times (Ragneskog et al.,1996; Richeson & Neill, 2004; Thomas & Smith, 2009; Wong et al, 2008)
Treatment 457.53 29224.38 20 control waitlist participants who were not engaged in group singing ate more food on average as compared to their peers who received the intervention
Summary
Malnutrition among older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) is a serious and long-recognized health concern (Amella et al, 2008; Lin et al, 2010; van Ort & Phillips, 1995; Volkert et al, 2018). Researchers have explored the use of music and music therapy as nonpharmacological avenues in this regard. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies exploring the impact of music-based interventions to ameliorate dementia symptoms reveal mixed results, most often due to low numbers of participants and poor methodological integrity (Laver et al, 2016; Petrovsky et al, 2015; van der Steen et al, 2018; Ueda et al, 2013). Most music-based studies related to food intake focus on receptive interventions, in which participants are exposed to recorded music in the dining area during meal times (Ragneskog et al.,1996; Richeson & Neill, 2004; Thomas & Smith, 2009; Wong et al, 2008). In only one report did researchers engage residents with ADRD in active music making just prior to dining toward stimulating food intake during the meal (McHugh et al, 2012). The researchers end their report by encouraging replication research applying careful method modifications
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