ABSTRACT
The coronavirus pandemic upended in-person programming for older adults with cognitive decline, presenting an urgent need to explore options to offer virtual programming. This program development report describes the adaptation of a music program for older adults with memory loss from in-person to a digital format. The objective was to develop a music program that was both engaging for the older adults, acceptable for the music instructor, and clearly defined for future research and implementation. This report describes the content of the music program and the systematic process of its development, including stakeholder interviews, acceptability surveys, fidelity reviews, and the developed instructor manual. With these structures in place, future research could begin to discern if digital music programming can support older adults in the same way that has been demonstrated in-person, potentially offering a new way to support the cognitive and social needs of a vulnerable population.
ABSTRACT
Older adults experiencing cognitive decline, including those with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, are at-risk for social isolation and participation restrictions, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously examined research has primarily focused on reducing problematic behaviors and remediating cognition for individuals with cognitive impairments. In this symposium, we will discuss novel intervention approaches and under-studied aspects of lifestyle behaviors that minimize social isolation and maximize participation for older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Information presented in this symposium is intended to inform future intervention research to achieve an optimal quality of life for those with cognitive impairments. The first presentation will describe an analysis of lifestyle behaviors and cognition in an older population. The second presentation will discuss the development of an intergenerational, active music intervention that is delivered virtually to individuals with dementia and their caregivers. The third presentation will describe the effects of an adaptive horseback riding program that is becoming increasingly prevalent and improves the quality of life of persons living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.