Alzheimers
Earlier this year, I was engaged to run a series of music workshops at an Alzheimer's day centre. I was also asked to make a professional assessment, as to the value and feasibility of involving these clients, regularly, in active music-making. My workshops, initially intended for people with physical/sensory disabilities, make intensive use of music technology. I had adapted them to meet the needs of elderly residents at a local care home. I wanted to see if the format, evolved for the latter group, was appropriate in situations where all the participants had Alzheimer's Disease.
Four workshops were provided, at two to three week intervals. They took place in the hall which forms the group's 'home-base'. Each session was attended by seven to ten people, suffering from a mild degree of dementia, along with care-workers and volunteers. The musical activities lasted for about an hour, after which tea was served. At this point, I attempted to engage clients in conversation (1:1). Levels of attention and active involvement were very encouraging. I felt that music technology resourced the sessions, in a most appropriate way, extending the range and quality of musical experience.
action song (with sequenced backing track)
distribution of untuned percussion instruments
rhythmic activities:
imitation, 'fill the gap', inventing 1-bar solos
'community' songs and repertoire from 30's / 40's (sequenced backing tracks)
song and dance finale (sequenced backing track)
'armchair' dancing, imitating and improv4ising movement (sequenced folk dances)
rhythmic improvisation over a jazz vamp (sequenced)
demonstration of 'virtual' computer-based instruments, followed by 'hands-on' exploration
melodic improvisation (limited scale) using 'virtual' instruments or glockenspiels
improvising, antiphonal, rhythmic accompaniments to sequenced marches or singing well known songs (sequenced)
Sessions 1 & 2
In the first session, one client (H) withdrew (by opening his newspaper), as soon as active involvement was invited. This was an unambiguous signal that he did not wish to be involved, so I let him be. Otherwise, everyone participated in the action song at the beginning of the sessions. The sequenced music provided a strong rhythmic impetus and a big enough sound to prevent people feeling too exposed as they joined in the singing. More importantly, it freed me for direct contact with the clients. I see my role mainly as a teacher and facilitator but sometimes, before people can benefit from these services, I must act as an animator, engaging their attention and encouraging participation.
In distributing percussion, I offered waverers a choice between two instruments. On the whole, they coped well with a range of percussion instruments, although I had to pattern the movement, hand-over-hand, on a few occasions. Usually, the player could then continue unaided. In the first session, everyone accepted a percussion instrument, while in the second there was one abstainer. Everyone who had an instrument joined in the rhythmic activities. These were clearly popular with the group and people became still more alert (they had 'woken up' quite a bit in the action song).
Participation in the singing was good but not universal. When offered a microphone, those who were joining in quietly sang more strongly and expressively. No one rejected the microphone and everyone seemed to understand its function (this is not always the case). One lady, who had been a professional actress, became anxious whenever she could not remember the words. She seemed somewhat reassured when lyrics were found for her, in a large-print songbook, but this did not, in fact, improve her performance as she was unable to scan the text and kept losing her place. Everyone who could do so got up, with surprising readiness, to do the dance at the end of the session. We were able to form a big circle, drawing in those who had to remain seated. On the second occasion, the former actress improvised her own choreography.
Session 3
Some of the group were rather sleepy at the outset but, by the time we got to the end of the action song, everyone was more alert and had participated in some way.
We continued with movement over sequenced folk dances. Initially, the clients imitated my movements but, later, I invited several individuals to take a turn as 'leader' and model the movement, or movements, we should employ. Everyone participated in the imitation and only one of those invited to lead us declined to do so.
In sessions three and four, the rhythmic activities took the form of improvised rondos over a jazzy vamp. In the third session, there was one abstainer, everyone else taking a solo.
The earlier activities had been building up to melodic improvisation and, in order to have suitable instrumental resources, I demonstrated some of the hi-tech equipment, at this point. I showed them how they could play flute sounds on the computer, by rolling the trackerball. Two people who were experienced amateur musicians were invited to try this. They, immediately, began to roll the ball and explore the range of sounds available. They moved in various directions and at varying speeds to produce shapely melodic improvisations. I demonstrated how, by sliding a hand over a "Midi-switch", one could sound the notes of a scale, in a similar fashion. Two ladies were given these. One managed successfully but the other became a little anxious. She really needed 1:1 support, for this activity, which was not available at the time. I was aware that their introduction to this new 'instrument' was a rushed and, therefore, unsatisfactory affair but my priority, at that point, was to assess the general feasibility of group improvisation with melodic instruments. I left them, therefore, to 'sink or swim'. One man, who had worked with me at the residential care home, had a set of electronic pads, triggering vibraphone sounds. Others had glockenspiels. I had set up all the melodic resources to sound a pentatonic scale. I found that people did listen and respond to one another as they played.
To round off this session, I re-distributed the percussion and we improvised, antiphonally, over two sequenced marches. At this point, I noticed that H, who had withdrawn from the first session and, on this occasion, had been sitting at a table a little way from the group, had come to sit right behind the circle of participants. Annoyingly, I hadn't noticed at what point he made the move, for something, clearly, attracted him.
Session 4 I had to pattern the movement of the opening song, hand-over-hand, for D and J and they then joined in the appropriate movements, along with everyone else. We then repeated the 'armchair' dancing, with four clients taking turns to be 'leader'. Today, I had the computer programmed to sound various 'choir' chords, as the trackerball was rolled. Four people (including the lady who was confused by the Midi-switch, in the third session and one of the people who had to have the movement patterned, today) used it to play solo improvisations and seemed to derive real pleasure from doing so. D smiled and remarked "Aren't I playing it nice!" H was sitting at his table, which had been placed just behind the circle. When I took the trackerball to him, he watched me play, with interest. He said it was very clever but declined to play, himself. There was a high degree of attentive listening as people took their solos and were complimented by their companions. After distributing the percussion, we improvised over the jazz vamp. Everyone in the circle took a couple of solos. I gave a tambour to the volunteer sitting with H and placed another on the table, beside him. He picked it up and joined in, for a while. We concluded with familiar songs (with roving microphone). Our actress had her usual trouble with words but, nevertheless, contributed some solo verses and some harmony. The singing ran over into the tea-break, with excellent participation.
To use pre-recorded material in an un-thinking way, would be a recipe for disaster! A machine will never engage people in the same way as a live musician.
I intend that my workshops should foster the clients' personal autonomy and creativity and this, immediately, brings me up against a great anomaly: Unless people are 'tuned in' and aware of what is going on, they cannot make a genuine choice to either participate or abstain. I believe that it is only fair to encourage them to the point where they, clearly, say "" I'm going to try this" or "No, this is not what I want." In my experience, the people who need help 'warming up' at the start of a session often intensely involved at a later stage and forthcoming in conversation after the session. (This was the case with A, in the second session, who sang a solo and told me that the session had been "great fun.") If I wish to function in my preferred role, as a teacher/ facilitator, later in the session, I have to start off as an animator. This is what the pre-recorded material frees me to be. The seating, the sequencing of the activities, the repertoire - everything has been planned to engage the clients attention and secure their involvement.
In order to lead the new group from the known to the unknown, in true pedagogic fashion, I began the fist session as a performer. However, as I sang, with a sequenced backing track, a couple of people joined in. One asked if they could sing to 'lah' and, when I readily agreed, we repeated it with most people singing. It was a 'swing' number. The sequenced accompaniment provided a strong rhythmic impetus and a big enough sound to prevent people feeling exposed, as they joined in the singing. If I had been distracted by the need to play an instrument, I doubt whether people would have been as quick to participate.
In addition to freeing me to act as an animator, the sequencer can play music in a wide variety of styles and with an extensive palette of instrumental timbres. One minute it can be a symphony orchestra and, in the next, an accordion. This is useful because, to some extent, the workshops are an exercise in tolerance of other people's preferences. It is important to have variety. Four people in this group, for example, had strong musical backgrounds. Their special interests encompassed Jazz, Early Music, choral singing, musicals and string chamber music, in addition to half a century of popular music and familiar classics. The hard disk stores many hours of performance data and a particular piece can be retrieved, almost instantaneously. It is, certainly, quicker than selecting an audio cassette and then locating a specific track. Unlike a tape recorder, the computer allows me to adjust the speed and pitch, independently of one another. Several members of the group made suggestions about adjustments, of this kind. It is only a small thing but it seems to me that, when one has so little control over one's circumstances, it must be reassuring to have one's opinion sought.
The amplifier/ speakers used for the sequencer, can also be used with microphones. During 'community singing', I went around with a microphone. Almost invariably, if I held it in front of someone who was singing quietly, they sang out more strongly and expressively. A high proportion of people took a solo spot, in this way
The technology was used in the second way, in sessions three and four. These had a much stronger creative bias. Half way through the third session, I demonstrated some of the computer equipment. Previous activities had been leading up to melodic improvisation and I did not have enough acoustic instruments for everyone. I showed them how they could play flute sounds on the computer, by rolling the trackerball. Two people who were experienced amateur musicians were invited to try this. They, immediately, began to roll the ball and explore the range of sounds available. They moved in various directions and at varying speeds to produce shapely melodic improvisations. I demonstrated how, by sliding a hand over a "Midi-switch", one could sound the notes of a scale, in a similar fashion. Two ladies were given these. One managed successfully but the other became a little anxious. She really needed 1:1 support, for this activity, which was not available at the time. I was aware that their introduction to this new 'instrument' was a rushed and, therefore, unsatisfactory affair but my priority, at that point, was to assess the general feasibility of group improvisation with melodic instruments. I left them, therefore, to 'sink or swim'. One man, who had worked with me at the residential care home, had a set of electronic pads, triggering vibraphone sounds. Others had glockenspiels. I had set up all the melodic resources to sound a pentatonic scale. I found that people did listen and respond to one another as they played.
2. The sequencer supported a very wide ranging repertoire and associated musical activity. I felt that the principles governing the choice of materials for adult classes, in general, were equally valid for people with Alzheimer's. No one could be expected to like it all.
3. The levels of concentration and participation in this group were, exceptionally, high. Experience suggests that this was, at least in part, due to the fact that I was free to act as an animator. As regards participation, only one (H) appeared to opt out, altogether, but even he was 'watching from the wings' and he did make some small, unprompted, contribution to the fourth session. One suspects that people with dementia will experience an hour-long session as a number of separate engagements with the reality of the moment, separated by moments of 'absence'. If this is the case, then reactions to the situation, as encountered at each fresh engagement, are likely to vary.
4. This format for music sessions, developed to meet the needs of elderly people in residential care, seemed equally appropriate for this group. The repertoire was not customised for this situation, however, and I felt it would it would have been preferable if individual needs could have received greater consideration and provision made for the customisation of resources.
5. Considering the short time available for clients to become familiar with the trackerball and Midi-switches, they had, surprisingly, few problems in using them. It was clear, from their responses, that they enjoyed this new experience. (It is also interesting to note that, according to the literature on dementia, clients should have found many of my percussion instruments difficult, if not impossible, to use. This was not the case.)
7. With this group I felt that I could move, more quickly than usual, from the 'safe' experience of closely-directed music to the personal autonomy of improvisation.
8. The group included several people who have been involved in amateur music-making, of one kind or another. Good levels of musical skill and creativity were in evidence and there were several examples of small improvements in individual performance, following demonstration and rehearsal. It appears likely that people with a mild/moderate degree of dementia would benefit from activities to harness these skills, before further deterioration takes place. It might well prove the case that active involvement in creative activities delays the process of deterioration. If we don't try it out, we'll never know. That would be to the benefit of society, as a whole, but that is not the only consideration. As a teacher, I believe that people with Alzheimer's have the same right as anyone else to make the most of the knowledge and skills they have today and to make their own creative contribution to human discourse.
9. My observations of these sessions confirmed my belief that the physical experience of music, particularly through movement, can play an important, animating, role in geriatric care. In this respect, recent developments in vibro-acoustic equipment might prove significant.
4. Following these sessions, several clients chatted to me and gave me quite detailed information about themselves and their earlier experiences. This supported my view that group music is an experience which can enhance social interaction and give a comforting sense of normality. I have, so often, found that, after the stimulus of a music session, people are more ready to converse and share reminiscences. After these sessions, for example, a client who seldom talks, conversed with me for some time. He not only told me a lot about himself but also asked me questions.
10. I came to a number of conclusions relating to group dynamics, staffing, resources and other logistical matters pertaining to the organisation of group music sessions, generally. The brief nature of this presentation precludes their inclusion, here. In practice, however, the use of music technology cannot be considered in isolation. In the words of the song, "T'aint watcha do - its the way that ya do it!"
I found that hi-tech equipment made a valuable contribution to a resource base with which to address the needs of these clients but I would not have wished it to be my only resource.
© 1996 by Audrey Podmore
*This software is 'MIDIgrid', used with specially prepared grids from The Full Pitcher. There is now a cut-down version available for Windows '98, or higher. This is available from The Full Pitcher Music Resources. Custom-prepared resource CDs can also be ordered. www.fullpitcher.co.uk/softwareSN.htm
**Further information about switch access to music and wide range of MIDI switches can be obtained from. www.inclusive.co.uk/hardware/switches-and-switch-mountings and http://www.applaudinteractive.com/resources/
Resourcing Group Work With Music Technology: A Pilot Study
Notes for a presentation given at 'Music and Alzheimer's disease: past, present and future', an event at Royal Holloway, University of London, 1996 (supported by Alzheimer's Disease Society and Society for Research in Psychology of Music and Music Education) by Audrey PodmoreEarlier this year, I was engaged to run a series of music workshops at an Alzheimer's day centre. I was also asked to make a professional assessment, as to the value and feasibility of involving these clients, regularly, in active music-making. My workshops, initially intended for people with physical/sensory disabilities, make intensive use of music technology. I had adapted them to meet the needs of elderly residents at a local care home. I wanted to see if the format, evolved for the latter group, was appropriate in situations where all the participants had Alzheimer's Disease.
Four workshops were provided, at two to three week intervals. They took place in the hall which forms the group's 'home-base'. Each session was attended by seven to ten people, suffering from a mild degree of dementia, along with care-workers and volunteers. The musical activities lasted for about an hour, after which tea was served. At this point, I attempted to engage clients in conversation (1:1). Levels of attention and active involvement were very encouraging. I felt that music technology resourced the sessions, in a most appropriate way, extending the range and quality of musical experience.
Format of Sessions 1 & 2
introductory song (solo by music leader, with sequenced backing track)action song (with sequenced backing track)
distribution of untuned percussion instruments
rhythmic activities:
imitation, 'fill the gap', inventing 1-bar solos
'community' songs and repertoire from 30's / 40's (sequenced backing tracks)
song and dance finale (sequenced backing track)
Format of Sessions 3 & 4
action song (sequenced backing track)'armchair' dancing, imitating and improv4ising movement (sequenced folk dances)
rhythmic improvisation over a jazz vamp (sequenced)
demonstration of 'virtual' computer-based instruments, followed by 'hands-on' exploration
melodic improvisation (limited scale) using 'virtual' instruments or glockenspiels
improvising, antiphonal, rhythmic accompaniments to sequenced marches or singing well known songs (sequenced)
Sessions 1 & 2
In the first session, one client (H) withdrew (by opening his newspaper), as soon as active involvement was invited. This was an unambiguous signal that he did not wish to be involved, so I let him be. Otherwise, everyone participated in the action song at the beginning of the sessions. The sequenced music provided a strong rhythmic impetus and a big enough sound to prevent people feeling too exposed as they joined in the singing. More importantly, it freed me for direct contact with the clients. I see my role mainly as a teacher and facilitator but sometimes, before people can benefit from these services, I must act as an animator, engaging their attention and encouraging participation.
In distributing percussion, I offered waverers a choice between two instruments. On the whole, they coped well with a range of percussion instruments, although I had to pattern the movement, hand-over-hand, on a few occasions. Usually, the player could then continue unaided. In the first session, everyone accepted a percussion instrument, while in the second there was one abstainer. Everyone who had an instrument joined in the rhythmic activities. These were clearly popular with the group and people became still more alert (they had 'woken up' quite a bit in the action song).
Participation in the singing was good but not universal. When offered a microphone, those who were joining in quietly sang more strongly and expressively. No one rejected the microphone and everyone seemed to understand its function (this is not always the case). One lady, who had been a professional actress, became anxious whenever she could not remember the words. She seemed somewhat reassured when lyrics were found for her, in a large-print songbook, but this did not, in fact, improve her performance as she was unable to scan the text and kept losing her place. Everyone who could do so got up, with surprising readiness, to do the dance at the end of the session. We were able to form a big circle, drawing in those who had to remain seated. On the second occasion, the former actress improvised her own choreography.
Session 3
Some of the group were rather sleepy at the outset but, by the time we got to the end of the action song, everyone was more alert and had participated in some way.
We continued with movement over sequenced folk dances. Initially, the clients imitated my movements but, later, I invited several individuals to take a turn as 'leader' and model the movement, or movements, we should employ. Everyone participated in the imitation and only one of those invited to lead us declined to do so.
In sessions three and four, the rhythmic activities took the form of improvised rondos over a jazzy vamp. In the third session, there was one abstainer, everyone else taking a solo.
The earlier activities had been building up to melodic improvisation and, in order to have suitable instrumental resources, I demonstrated some of the hi-tech equipment, at this point. I showed them how they could play flute sounds on the computer, by rolling the trackerball. Two people who were experienced amateur musicians were invited to try this. They, immediately, began to roll the ball and explore the range of sounds available. They moved in various directions and at varying speeds to produce shapely melodic improvisations. I demonstrated how, by sliding a hand over a "Midi-switch", one could sound the notes of a scale, in a similar fashion. Two ladies were given these. One managed successfully but the other became a little anxious. She really needed 1:1 support, for this activity, which was not available at the time. I was aware that their introduction to this new 'instrument' was a rushed and, therefore, unsatisfactory affair but my priority, at that point, was to assess the general feasibility of group improvisation with melodic instruments. I left them, therefore, to 'sink or swim'. One man, who had worked with me at the residential care home, had a set of electronic pads, triggering vibraphone sounds. Others had glockenspiels. I had set up all the melodic resources to sound a pentatonic scale. I found that people did listen and respond to one another as they played.
To round off this session, I re-distributed the percussion and we improvised, antiphonally, over two sequenced marches. At this point, I noticed that H, who had withdrawn from the first session and, on this occasion, had been sitting at a table a little way from the group, had come to sit right behind the circle of participants. Annoyingly, I hadn't noticed at what point he made the move, for something, clearly, attracted him.
Session 4 I had to pattern the movement of the opening song, hand-over-hand, for D and J and they then joined in the appropriate movements, along with everyone else. We then repeated the 'armchair' dancing, with four clients taking turns to be 'leader'. Today, I had the computer programmed to sound various 'choir' chords, as the trackerball was rolled. Four people (including the lady who was confused by the Midi-switch, in the third session and one of the people who had to have the movement patterned, today) used it to play solo improvisations and seemed to derive real pleasure from doing so. D smiled and remarked "Aren't I playing it nice!" H was sitting at his table, which had been placed just behind the circle. When I took the trackerball to him, he watched me play, with interest. He said it was very clever but declined to play, himself. There was a high degree of attentive listening as people took their solos and were complimented by their companions. After distributing the percussion, we improvised over the jazz vamp. Everyone in the circle took a couple of solos. I gave a tambour to the volunteer sitting with H and placed another on the table, beside him. He picked it up and joined in, for a while. We concluded with familiar songs (with roving microphone). Our actress had her usual trouble with words but, nevertheless, contributed some solo verses and some harmony. The singing ran over into the tea-break, with excellent participation.
Review of Sessions
Technology fulfilled two quite distinct functions in resourcing these sessions: Primarily, it was used to provide pre-recorded accompaniments, which could be customised to the needs of the group. At the heart of the system, was an Atari computer with a hard disk, running two major software packages. One was a sequencer, a program dedicated to recording and playing back electronically produced sounds. The other was a one-off piece of software*, quite unlike anything else on the market, that enables me to create 'virtual' instruments which can be 'played' by any input device connected to the computer. This can be a mouse, trackerball, switch**, MIDI keyboard etc. My workshops for elderly people were built around the first function. The second is useful but, by no means, essential unless one, or more, of the participants is unable to play acoustic instruments. In these workshops, 'virtual' instruments were not essential, as a means of access, but were used to supplement the acoustic instruments and for enrichment.To use pre-recorded material in an un-thinking way, would be a recipe for disaster! A machine will never engage people in the same way as a live musician.
I intend that my workshops should foster the clients' personal autonomy and creativity and this, immediately, brings me up against a great anomaly: Unless people are 'tuned in' and aware of what is going on, they cannot make a genuine choice to either participate or abstain. I believe that it is only fair to encourage them to the point where they, clearly, say "" I'm going to try this" or "No, this is not what I want." In my experience, the people who need help 'warming up' at the start of a session often intensely involved at a later stage and forthcoming in conversation after the session. (This was the case with A, in the second session, who sang a solo and told me that the session had been "great fun.") If I wish to function in my preferred role, as a teacher/ facilitator, later in the session, I have to start off as an animator. This is what the pre-recorded material frees me to be. The seating, the sequencing of the activities, the repertoire - everything has been planned to engage the clients attention and secure their involvement.
In order to lead the new group from the known to the unknown, in true pedagogic fashion, I began the fist session as a performer. However, as I sang, with a sequenced backing track, a couple of people joined in. One asked if they could sing to 'lah' and, when I readily agreed, we repeated it with most people singing. It was a 'swing' number. The sequenced accompaniment provided a strong rhythmic impetus and a big enough sound to prevent people feeling exposed, as they joined in the singing. If I had been distracted by the need to play an instrument, I doubt whether people would have been as quick to participate.
In addition to freeing me to act as an animator, the sequencer can play music in a wide variety of styles and with an extensive palette of instrumental timbres. One minute it can be a symphony orchestra and, in the next, an accordion. This is useful because, to some extent, the workshops are an exercise in tolerance of other people's preferences. It is important to have variety. Four people in this group, for example, had strong musical backgrounds. Their special interests encompassed Jazz, Early Music, choral singing, musicals and string chamber music, in addition to half a century of popular music and familiar classics. The hard disk stores many hours of performance data and a particular piece can be retrieved, almost instantaneously. It is, certainly, quicker than selecting an audio cassette and then locating a specific track. Unlike a tape recorder, the computer allows me to adjust the speed and pitch, independently of one another. Several members of the group made suggestions about adjustments, of this kind. It is only a small thing but it seems to me that, when one has so little control over one's circumstances, it must be reassuring to have one's opinion sought.
The amplifier/ speakers used for the sequencer, can also be used with microphones. During 'community singing', I went around with a microphone. Almost invariably, if I held it in front of someone who was singing quietly, they sang out more strongly and expressively. A high proportion of people took a solo spot, in this way
The technology was used in the second way, in sessions three and four. These had a much stronger creative bias. Half way through the third session, I demonstrated some of the computer equipment. Previous activities had been leading up to melodic improvisation and I did not have enough acoustic instruments for everyone. I showed them how they could play flute sounds on the computer, by rolling the trackerball. Two people who were experienced amateur musicians were invited to try this. They, immediately, began to roll the ball and explore the range of sounds available. They moved in various directions and at varying speeds to produce shapely melodic improvisations. I demonstrated how, by sliding a hand over a "Midi-switch", one could sound the notes of a scale, in a similar fashion. Two ladies were given these. One managed successfully but the other became a little anxious. She really needed 1:1 support, for this activity, which was not available at the time. I was aware that their introduction to this new 'instrument' was a rushed and, therefore, unsatisfactory affair but my priority, at that point, was to assess the general feasibility of group improvisation with melodic instruments. I left them, therefore, to 'sink or swim'. One man, who had worked with me at the residential care home, had a set of electronic pads, triggering vibraphone sounds. Others had glockenspiels. I had set up all the melodic resources to sound a pentatonic scale. I found that people did listen and respond to one another as they played.
Conclusions
1. Group activity seemed appropriate for these clients. Although some would, in all probability, gain more from individual sessions, all could be accommodated within a group.2. The sequencer supported a very wide ranging repertoire and associated musical activity. I felt that the principles governing the choice of materials for adult classes, in general, were equally valid for people with Alzheimer's. No one could be expected to like it all.
3. The levels of concentration and participation in this group were, exceptionally, high. Experience suggests that this was, at least in part, due to the fact that I was free to act as an animator. As regards participation, only one (H) appeared to opt out, altogether, but even he was 'watching from the wings' and he did make some small, unprompted, contribution to the fourth session. One suspects that people with dementia will experience an hour-long session as a number of separate engagements with the reality of the moment, separated by moments of 'absence'. If this is the case, then reactions to the situation, as encountered at each fresh engagement, are likely to vary.
4. This format for music sessions, developed to meet the needs of elderly people in residential care, seemed equally appropriate for this group. The repertoire was not customised for this situation, however, and I felt it would it would have been preferable if individual needs could have received greater consideration and provision made for the customisation of resources.
5. Considering the short time available for clients to become familiar with the trackerball and Midi-switches, they had, surprisingly, few problems in using them. It was clear, from their responses, that they enjoyed this new experience. (It is also interesting to note that, according to the literature on dementia, clients should have found many of my percussion instruments difficult, if not impossible, to use. This was not the case.)
7. With this group I felt that I could move, more quickly than usual, from the 'safe' experience of closely-directed music to the personal autonomy of improvisation.
8. The group included several people who have been involved in amateur music-making, of one kind or another. Good levels of musical skill and creativity were in evidence and there were several examples of small improvements in individual performance, following demonstration and rehearsal. It appears likely that people with a mild/moderate degree of dementia would benefit from activities to harness these skills, before further deterioration takes place. It might well prove the case that active involvement in creative activities delays the process of deterioration. If we don't try it out, we'll never know. That would be to the benefit of society, as a whole, but that is not the only consideration. As a teacher, I believe that people with Alzheimer's have the same right as anyone else to make the most of the knowledge and skills they have today and to make their own creative contribution to human discourse.
9. My observations of these sessions confirmed my belief that the physical experience of music, particularly through movement, can play an important, animating, role in geriatric care. In this respect, recent developments in vibro-acoustic equipment might prove significant.
4. Following these sessions, several clients chatted to me and gave me quite detailed information about themselves and their earlier experiences. This supported my view that group music is an experience which can enhance social interaction and give a comforting sense of normality. I have, so often, found that, after the stimulus of a music session, people are more ready to converse and share reminiscences. After these sessions, for example, a client who seldom talks, conversed with me for some time. He not only told me a lot about himself but also asked me questions.
10. I came to a number of conclusions relating to group dynamics, staffing, resources and other logistical matters pertaining to the organisation of group music sessions, generally. The brief nature of this presentation precludes their inclusion, here. In practice, however, the use of music technology cannot be considered in isolation. In the words of the song, "T'aint watcha do - its the way that ya do it!"
I found that hi-tech equipment made a valuable contribution to a resource base with which to address the needs of these clients but I would not have wished it to be my only resource.
© 1996 by Audrey Podmore
*This software is 'MIDIgrid', used with specially prepared grids from The Full Pitcher. There is now a cut-down version available for Windows '98, or higher. This is available from The Full Pitcher Music Resources. Custom-prepared resource CDs can also be ordered. www.fullpitcher.co.uk/softwareSN.htm
**Further information about switch access to music and wide range of MIDI switches can be obtained from. www.inclusive.co.uk/hardware/switches-and-switch-mountings and http://www.applaudinteractive.com/resources/