Q&I researchers spoke with staff from one-third of the 27 nursing centers that participated in the first year of our National Institute on Aging-funded trial to test the effectiveness of the Music & Memory personalized music program. Staff believe that residents respond well to the music and that the program works well, when used as a nursing intervention and with strong teamwork and communication among facility champions and leaders.

These results are summarized in a new Issue Brief that shares quotes from the team's interviews and discusses how the findings are informing the trial's implementation plans. While staff perceived the program as valuable for residents, they also highlighted challenges, ranging from the time involved in identifying personalized music for residents to the logistics of storing the music devices. We are addressing these challenges by making changes in the second phase of the trial, which begins in May 2021 in another 27 nursing centers.

These findings are part of a three-year study that involves four multi-state nursing center corporations. The study's goal is to evaluate the impact of the Music & Memory program on agitated and aggressive behaviors among residents living with dementia.

Q&I ISSUE BRIEF #4: MUSIC & MEMORY STAFF INTERVIEWS (APRIL 2021)