Interpersonal Music Skills in Dementia Care
Become more confident in your musical interactions, and more capable of providing consistent supportive music care for the person(s) in your life with dementia.
Watch Promo
Music has a way of bringing people together, helping them interact nonverbally, and enjoy a shared experience in “real time.” Music can provide an avenue to express feelings, retrieve lost memories, and enhance our mood and uplift us. Even when someone has difficulty managing conversation or other communications, they may still be able to communicate through their “musical voice” which doesn’t need words.
Upon completion of this course, students will learn to be able to:
- Self- assessment for you as a caregiver and persons with dementia.
- Unpacking strengths and needs of the individual with dementia for whom you are caring.
- Learn Music skills for Rhythm, harmony, melody, accompaniment.
- How to put your interpersonal music skills to use.
- How to take care of yourself.
Course Curriculum
Your Instructor
Robin Rio, is a board-certified music therapist with an extensive history of clinical work in long-term care as well as a 20-year career in higher education, teaching music therapy at the undergraduate and graduate levels.She also provides clinical supervision to students and interns in their field placement.
Beginning her career writing about music in dementia care in the 1990’s, Robin then continued on to write a book, “Connecting through music with people with dementia: A Guide for Caregivers” (2009). She had recently written, “A Community-Based Music Therapy Support Group for People With Alzheimer's Disease and Their Caregivers: A Sustainable Partnership Model.”
Robin Rio is a family caregiver for her mother who has advanced Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and requires the support of memory care for her daily living needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
This course will assist you in assessing what is your roles and responsibilities are in caring for the person in your life who is coping with a dementia diagnosis.