Dementia, therapeutic relationship and musical improvisation:From the clinical, music therapeutic practice to scientific research

Music therapy can offer an essential contribution to the treatment of persons with dementia due to the non-verbal character of the music in itself. Music can be situated on an affective level. Musical improvisation within a therapeutic context offers then possibilities to meet persons with dementia on a level which is less or not affected by cognitive deteriorations that inhibit these moments of contact. The meeting between music therapist and the person with dementia can meet problems of social isolation and offers the person with the dementia opportunities to be approached as a subject with his/her own experiences and emotions.By using a qualitative research design, the link between musical improvisation, the therapeutic relationship and dementia is explored within a study with following research question: What is the value of musical improvisation for the development of a therapeutic relationship in music therapy with people suffering from dementia