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Project Topic
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Our project aims to address the need for improved informal care by training
cohabitating spouse caregivers (CGs) to implement music interventions (MI) that target
behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), and the quality of life (QoL) and
wellbeing of people with dementia (PwD), and of CGs. Our large international three-arm parallelgroup
randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 495 dyads from Australia, Germany, UK, Poland
and Norway, will test the effectiveness of a 3-month home-based music program on the BPSD of
PwD (primary outcome). Secondary outcomes will examine relationship quality between CG and
PwD, depression, resilience, competence, QoL for the CG, and QoL in PwD. Our RCT will
compare the MI delivered by trained CGs + standard care (SC), with SC alone (primary
comparison), and with another active intervention (reading + SC).
As the majority of PwD live in the community and not in residential care settings, quality informal
care for PwD is crucial for managing BPSD and enhancing QoL. Past studies prove that music
therapy can reduce BPSD, and other studies explore how formal carers use music in their caring
roles. However, no large fully powered study has examined the effects of MI delivered by spouse
caregivers (CGs) in the home-setting. HOMESIDE addresses this knowledge gap. Our consortium
recognizes the challenges CGs experience as they undertake the essential care of PwD while
simultaneously striving to sustain a meaningful and mutually satisfying relationship. As BPSD
become increasingly difficult to manage with disease progression, CGs can become overwhelmed
cognitively, emotionally and physically. This may have a negative flow-on effect to PwD, CGs and
society (e.g. higher rates of illness, greater rates of access to medical and social services). There
is thus a need for CGs to learn about and implement engaging and effective ways to manage
BPSD and support wellbeing for the PwD. Currently available carer groups and carer-training
programs have potential benefit but uptake is low due to the increased burden of attending
programs outside of the home context. MI have long been used by music therapists to manage
BPSD, support relationships, and manage stress. We expect that with support and training the MI
will be easily implemented in the family home by CGs. Our health economic analysis will calculate
the cost effectiveness of the MI and compare this with SC and a reading intervention to determine
whether the MI are clinically effective and cost-effective and should be made widely accessible for
CGs. Carer and Consumer involvement (herein Public and Patient Involvement, PPI) across all
stages of the project is integral to ensure that investigators tailor the MI to meet the diverse
individual and cultural needs of PwD and CGs. To ensure international applicability and maximum
reach, we will develop written training manuals and training videos in English, German, Norwegian,
and Polish, and we will make them available free of charge via YouTube and purpose-built websites.
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