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I have just finished editing a book about music therapy and the elderly with a specific focus on dementia. Lots of good colleagues and graduates of contributes in this book and it will be really new in this field of clinical practice of music therapy for Germany. One thought, which occurs in me while writing and reading the chapters of the book, was that we do NOT have enough music therapists for the future. Why?

Clinical Practice Needs of Music Therapy and Dementia

In 2050 there are expected to be 2.3 million people suffering from dementia only in Germany (Ridder, 2011). This time the golden way of psychosocial treatment for patients with dementia is offered by music therapy (Muthesius, 2011). We have now in minimum three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of research teams from the European Union, which show significant positive changes for music therapy in especially agitation, depression and cognitive orientation of patients with dementia (Wosch, 2011). All this means, the best way of treatment for the 2.3 million patients with dementia would be music therapy. For a good practice treatment we would need for this only in Germany 46000 music therapists. This I calculated from the good practice in handicapped children music therapy service in Kinderzentrum Munich, European Union (Voigt, 2003). They serve 1200 patients a year with four music therapists. In mean these patients get two weeks a year in intensive treatment. Most patients with dementia will stay all the year in treatment. In the end I calculated in comparison with the Munich-example that about 50 patients with dementia would be served by one music therapist in good practice. However, currently we have only about 2000 music therapists in Germany serving all fields of clinical practice of music therapy. This is even more than 20 times less the number of 46000. What to do?

The Right to Music Therapy Treatment

First of all we of course do not have music therapy in all dementia treatment. But why I am writing here: “of course”? I think we need music therapy for all patients suffering from dementia. Every patient with strong cardiac disorder has the right to get surgeries, a pacemaker, permanent expensive controls by MDs and medicaments. Why should I write: of course, not every patient with dementia gets music therapy? Even so it is effective, proofed by RCTs, and reduces care efforts, betters the quality of life of the patient and reduces lots of stress for his or her relatives and betters their relationships with the patient. Of course, I have to write, every patient with dementia will have the right to get music therapy. When patients have a right to other treatments, then they also should have a right to get music therapy. Changing the values of the society seems also to be a field of work here.

Special Training for Music Therapists in Dementia Care

Secondly we need more training of music therapy and dementia. It is a very special field of clinical practice of music therapy. It has lots of differences to other fields i.e. psychiatry (except of psychiatry for the elderly). Other principles, methods and attitudes in the relationship with the patient are necessary. Other knowledge and skills are required. It has some overlapping with Community Music Therapy. But contrary to this, in many cases of dementia there is strong need for inputs and leading of processes from the music therapist. To do that the music therapist has to do a lot of research about the client, together with him or her. Therefore i.e. in Wuerzburg, European Union, a special M.A. for music therapy in dementia care has been established. It will start this autumn. The idea is that BAs and MAs of music therapy and related grades get a next qualification in this very special field of clinical practice of music therapy. With this they can be prepared for all the very high level, very interesting and multiple challenges of dementia and music therapy. (Wosch, 2010; Wosch, 2011a)

The Need of Interdisciplinary Work in Music Therapy and Dementia Care

Third we need more interdisciplinary work in the field of music therapy and dementia. All the efforts of qualifying enough music therapists with and without specialization will not produce the real needed number of professionals in this field. We can solve this challenge only with cooperation especially with all nursing staff. A good planning and new perspectives of interdisciplinary work between music therapists and all care staff for in- and out-patients with dementia is needed. In everyday life of clients suffering from dementia this can open even much more and better effects of music therapy. Music therapists can start, develop and inform these processes. All care staff can continue and work with selected details or elements of musical experience in music therapy, which can be done by these professionals. I.e. a searched well known song for a client with dementia or a new developed song from music therapy can be used for reducing agitation in everyday care, of becoming oriented or motivated for some activities in everyday life. A new team planning for the clients suffering from dementia can be developed in this cooperation between music therapists and care staff. In the nursing profession we have even now i.e. in Germany 0.8 million professionals working. Also new qualifications of this profession would better the cooperation for more benefits for clients with dementia. A lack of information, skills and knowledge was the result of survey research of two graduates of mine (Klein, 2007; Förster 2010). We can work in this also with lots of benefits not only for the clients with dementia, but also for our field of music therapy.

References

Förster, S. (2010): Bedarfsanalyse; Nachfrage und Angebot musiktherapeutischer Dienstleistungen im Seniorenbereich. [unpublished BA-thesis University of applied sciences of Wuerzburg and Schweinfurt]

Klein, S. (2007): Musiktherapeutisches Handeln in der personenzentrierten Pflege von Menschen mit Demenz. [unpublished Diplom-thesis University of applied sciences of Magdeburg and Stendal]

Muthesius, D. (2010): Lehrende Leitung Master Musiktherapie bei Behinderung und Demenz. (http://www.fh-wuerzburg.de/professoren/soz/wosch/master/index.html), 2010-08-20 00.31

Ridder, H. M. (2011): Singen in der Musiktherapie mit Menschen mit Demenz – Neuropsychologische, psychophysiologische und psychodynamische Grundlagen und Perspektiven. In: Wosch, T. (Ed.): Musik und Alter in Therapie und Pflege. Grundlagen, Institutionen und Praxis der Musiktherapie bei Alter und Demenz. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer. [in print]

Voigt, M. (2003): Orff Music Therapy. An Overview. Voices: World forum for Music therapy. Retrieved August 20, 2010 http://www.voices.no/mainissues/mi40003000129.html),

Wosch, T. (2011): Aktueller Stand der Musiktherapie bei Alter und Demenz. In: Wosch, T. (Ed.): Musik und Alter in Therapie und Pflege. Grundlagen, Institutionen und Praxis der Musiktherapie bei Alter und Demenz. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer. [in print]

Wosch, T. (2010): New ways in MA-programs. [Cadiz: paper in the VIII European Music Therapy Congress]

Wosch, T. (2011a): Perspektiven der Musiktherapie bei Alter und Demenz. In: Wosch, T. (Ed.): Musik und Alter in Therapie und Pflege. Grundlagen, Institutionen und Praxis der Musiktherapie bei Alter und Demenz. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer. [in print]

How to cite this page

Wosch, Thomas (2010). Do We Have Enough Music Therapists for the Future?. Voices Resources. Retrieved January 09, 2015, from http://testvoices.uib.no/community/?q=fortnightly-columns/2010-do-we-have-enough-music-therapists-future