Sounding Bridges – An Intergenerational Music Therapy Group With Persons With Dementia and Children and Adolescents in Psychiatric Care

Authors

  • Cornelia Hessenberg Bergischen Diakonie Aprath, Wuppertal
  • Wolfgang Schmid Grieg Academy - Department of Music, University of Bergen,

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v13i2.692

Keywords:

Persons with dementia, children and adolescent psychiatry, intergenerational music therapy, inclusion

Abstract

In this article an intergenerational music therapy group including persons with dementia and children and adolescents in psychiatric care will be introduced. The special feature of this group is that people with dementia and children and adolescents in psychiatric care come together to make music. Young and old participants share important life issues such as the experience of a stigmatizing illness, or not being able to live in their familiar environment any more. The promotion of social skills and resources, as well as the support of emotional expressivity, and reminiscence work are particularly important in the intergenerational group. The article presents the project with its contents and discusses it with respect to theoretical perspectives from music therapy, sociology and gerontology.

Author Biographies

Cornelia Hessenberg, Bergischen Diakonie Aprath, Wuppertal

Cornelia Hessenberg is a musician, pedagogue and music therapist. She completed her pedagogy- and church music-studies in 1978 in Esslingen am Necker (Germany) followed by post-graduate studies in music therapy from 1990-1992 at the University of Witten/Herdecke Germany. Cornelia worked in Israel as well as in the south of Germany in an anthroposophical institution. Since 1992 she woks as a music therapist in the Bergische Diakonie Wülfrath nearby Wuppertal in Germany in the childrens- and adolescents psychiatry as well as in a home for the elderly. In 1994 she initiated the intergenerational music therapy group integrating children and adolescents with social and emotional needs, as well as people with dementia. In the meantime the intergenerational group has become an integral part of the therapeutic offer, both in the home for the elderly and in the childrens- and adolescent psychiatry.

Wolfgang Schmid, Grieg Academy - Department of Music, University of Bergen,

Wolfgang Schmid is Associate Professor at the Grieg Academy (GAMUT), University of Bergen. He completed his music studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Munich followed by post-graduate studies in music therapy at the University of Witten/Herdecke (Germany). From 1996-2008 Wolfgang was a lecturer in the music therapy training course (MA) at the University of Witten/Herdecke. From 2010-2011 he hold a research position at the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Witten. His experiences as a music therapy practitioner in clinical and outpatient settings cover a wide range of areas, e.g. music therapy in neurology, and in childrens- and adolescent psychiatry. In 2005 he completed his dissertation on improvisational music therapy in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis.

Downloads

Published

2013-04-08

How to Cite

Hessenberg, C., & Schmid, W. (2013). Sounding Bridges – An Intergenerational Music Therapy Group With Persons With Dementia and Children and Adolescents in Psychiatric Care. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v13i2.692

Issue

Section

Original Voices