I plan to do my Field work project on something I have a great passion for.
I am going to examine the music community of Music and Memory. My grandmother had Alzheimer's disease which is a form of dementia. They say that the last thing to leave you is music. And in my grandmothers case this was extremely true. Music helped soothe my grandmother in her last days and helped her to remember things because the music was linked to her memories of my Poppy.
I will need to speak to nurses and social workers from the Black Mountain Neurological Medical Center. I have worked with them in the past and they have extensive knowledge on Music and Memory and are currently working to use music in place of some medications. I will need to ask about personal experiences they have had. I will need to ask what they would like to see in the future of Music and Memory. Ask them how it all really works how the memory of music triggers the memories of people that they have otherwise forgotten.
I believe I would have to get permission to go to Black Mountain Neurological Medical Center and work with one of the social workers and hands on with patients. I could help develop playlists for patients and play music for them.
I would definitely be writing field notes and I would like to take photos but would need permission to do so. I would take photos of the patients engaging with the music and the playlists made for them. See how it soothes them and maybe remind them of things. My main hope is to get permission to take videos. Videos of group music sessions with the patients. Videos of patients engaging with music on their playlists. Videos of maybe some patients playing music on things like drums or shakers.
I would love to submit video and photo along with my final report if I am indeed permitted to do so. At the end of my project I would like to come to the conclusion that we can minimize our use of pharmaceuticals for Alzheimer and dementia patients with music. As well as make things more enjoyable and easy for the remainder of their lives.
This sounds like a great project. I think you are off to a great start. You are right to assume your need for permissions, etc. I would contact Black Mountain NMC as soon as you can to find out more about this. In terms of your big research question, you might shift it to just explaining how music is used in this type of therapy rather than striving to conclude “we can minimize our use of pharmaceuticals for Alzheimer and dementia patients with music. As well as make things more enjoyable and easy for the remainder of their lives.” The latter is already evident simply by the NMC’s use of this therapy. It would be more interesting to get perspectives of how it helps, not if it helps.
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