1. Evaluation of a Personal Playlist app in Dementia Care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of a Personal Playlist App for Wellbeing of Those Living with Dementia and their Carers in the Care Home
IRAS ID
200083
Contact name
Gianna Cassidy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Glasgow Caledonian University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
The prevalence of dementia, coupled with rising social and economic costs and reliance on pharmacological intervention, raises need to develop and integrate non-pharmacological, cost-effective, evidence-based strategies promoting patient and carer wellbeing across care contexts (NICE, 2006; Vink et al., 2011). Such interventions should empower individuals and carers in a person-centred ‘meaningful activity’, integrating health and social care from post-diagnosis to end of life (see Alzheimer Scotland, 2017).
We harnessed the power of personal music and touchscreen technology to develop such a strategy: a unique Personal Playlist app promoting identification and scaffolding use of personal music for those living with dementia and their carers. In collaboration with charity Playlist for Life, informed by literature, and guided by Scotland’s Technology Charter (Alzheimer Scotland, 2015), the prototype app was co-designed and evaluated with those living with dementia, funded by Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation and piloted through Nesta's Dementia Citizens Platform.
The present study aims to explore how the Personal Playlist app can be used to support the wellbeing of people living with dementia and their carers in the care home. Participants (10 formal carers, 30 people with dementia and 30 informal carers) will be recruited from Cluny Lodge in Edinburgh and Lothians. Formal carers will work with 3 residents sequentially for 3 weeks each, utilising the app to build the resident’s playlist for life and to support and enrich daily care practice. Residents and carers will be assessed prior to, during and following the 3 week cycle using a sequential mixed-methods paradigm.
Project outcomes include a framework to guide use of the current app, user-generated requirements to inform future development, and a conceptual framework of personal music and touch screen technology in dementia care.
REC name
Scotland A: Adults with Incapacity only
REC reference
18/SS/0042
Date of REC Opinion
1 May 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion