Colloquium - Presenters

ABSTRACT

In long-term care, residents face daily cognitive and physical challenges that impact their health and well-being. Music serves as a tool for social interaction, communication, and overall well-being, significantly supporting memory and emotional expression. At The Glebe Centre, a long-term care home in Ottawa, music is present both in structured programming and incidental moments, such as radio, TV, and streamed music played through smart speakers in common areas. This use of music aligns with the Butterfly Model of Care, a person-centred approach used in the home since 2019, that prioritizes emotional well-being, human connection, flexible routines and home-like environments. This paper examines how structured and incidental occurrences of music inherently support the principles of this model when integrated into care, fostering emotional connections and facilitating social interaction.

Drawing on Tia DeNora’s Music Asylums: Wellbeing Through Music in Everyday Life (2013), this paper investigates how activity coordinators, recreation therapists, and other staff incorporate music into daily routines to enhance the experiences of residents. DeNora emphasizes that music is not just a tool for communication but an active component in community formation, transforming experiences through participation. She calls for the further documentation of “ethnomethods”, the mundane and often hidden practices, that demonstrate how music contributes to well-being, regardless of the duration or measurable impact. Reflecting on my own experiences in the home, this paper highlights how music in dementia care functions as a flexible agent that enhances meaningful interaction and supports a dynamic understanding of health and wellness in everyday life, consistent with the Butterfly Model of Care. These insights will support how both music and the Butterfly Model of Care prioritize emotional well-being and flexibility to improve quality of life.

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KEYWORDS 

music-based engagement, music in everyday life, person-centred approach, well-being, social interaction

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BIO

I am a Master’s student at Carleton University in the Music and Culture program, with a background in classical piano and a strong interest in the intersections of music, health, and well-being. I previously earned my Bachelor of Music in piano performance with a minor in psychology. My research explores music-based engagement programming, focusing on how music fosters connection and enhances well-being in care settings. Drawing on my personal experiences in long-term care, I examine how different uses of music contribute not only to person-centred care but also to the improvement of social interaction, emotional expression, memory, and overall quality of life for residents. In addition to my studies, I work as a piano instructor, volunteer with choirs and group music sessions in long-term care, and perform in a local hospital for patients in transitional care.