Support in Sound

The Support in Sound music therapy research project, funded by the Tarporley War Memorial Hospital Trust, is a health and wellbeing initiative taking place in Tarporley, Cheshire, and the surrounding villages.

The project brings together music therapy and research to explore the potential benefits and practicalities of providing group music therapy for people living with dementia and their companions in a rural community setting.

Why music therapy?

Music therapy can offer cognitive, psychological and social benefits for people living with dementia. Music is accessible to all and can provide opportunities for communication, self-expression, connection and meaningful engagement.

However, less is known about how music therapy services can be delivered effectively and sustainably in rural communities, where there can be less access to health and wellbeing services.

What will the research explore?

The Support in Sound project will explore:

1. Whether community-based group music therapy is feasible in a rural setting.

2. How participants' health and wellbeing measures change over the course of the project, including measures relating to quality of life, loneliness, wellbeing and depression.

What does participation involve?

The music therapy programme will run for 10 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 1.5 hours. Sessions will provide an opportunity to make music together, connect with others and enjoy refreshments. Additional weeks are dedicated to recruitment and data collection.

As part of the research evaluation, participants will be invited to complete questionnaires assessing areas such as quality of life for people living with dementia; loneliness; wellbeing; and depression.

These measures will be completed at baseline, at week five, and at the end of the programme.

Through this research, we hope to learn more about how music therapy can support people living with dementia and their companions, and how group music therapy might be made accessible to people living in rural communities.

Above: CIMTR's Dr Kiera Kenny with Gilbert Martin and Lottie Patterson from the Tarporley War Memorial Hospital Trust.