Key takeaways:

• Music has been shown to stimulate autobiographical recall, decrease the severity of challenging behaviours, reduce depression, and enhance mood in people with dementia.

• MATCH (Music Attuned Technology – Care via eHealth) is an under-development mobile app that aims to empower family caregivers to use music to support care and manage dementia symptoms at home.

• The app includes carer training programs, wearable sensors to detect changes in biomarkers and behaviours, and machine learning to adapt personally preferred music to synchronise with and regulate the behaviour of a person with dementia.

• MATCH can offer a way for people living with dementia to access long-term memories and experiences through music

• The MATCH team is currently testing the initial version of the app with people with dementia and their families, with public release slated for 2025.

Do you believe that music has the power to heal? For many caregivers of people with dementia, the answer is a resounding yes. 

Research has shown that music can stimulate autobiographical recall, regulate arousal, decrease the severity of challenging behaviours, reduce depression, and enhance mood. As cognitive function declines, confusion and distress can take hold, making it difficult to connect with loved ones. But by harnessing the therapeutic benefits of music, it's possible to improve the well-being of those living with dementia and help them access long-term memories and experiences. 

Enter MATCH – an innovative mobile app that aims to empower family caregivers with the skills and tools needed to use music as a supportive care tool for dementia management.

What is MATCH?

Music Attuned Technology – Care via eHealth (MATCH) is a new app that aims to empower family carers of people with dementia, by using music to support care and manage dementia symptoms at home. Funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, MATCH aims to develop and deliver a NEW consumer-centred music program for use with people living with dementia. 

The app includes a series of carer training programs to guide them in using music strategically and mindfully. It also uses wearable sensors to detect changes in biomarkers and behaviours in the person with dementia, and machine learning and artificial intelligence to adapt personally preferred music to synchronise with and regulate the behaviour of a person with dementia. The app was developed as a result of implementing two large clinical trials in residential aged care and home-based care. 

The project team hopes to increase access to the benefits of music therapy for those most in need of support, particularly in light of the crisis in the aged care sector reported by the Royal Commission into Aged Care. The project team is currently testing the app with families around Australia and anticipates launching the MATCH carer training program in 2023 and the adaptive music system in late 2025.

The history of MATCH

Professor Felicity Baker originally conceived the idea of creating a music intervention training program for family carers in 2008. The training program was further refined in 2017 by a team of researchers from Australia, Norway, UK, Germany, and Poland, and was named HOMESIDE. 

The efficacy of the program was tested in a large randomised controlled trial. However, it became clear that an in-person training program like HOMESIDE would not be accessible to most carers of people with dementia. Therefore, the team decided to develop a scalable mobile application to deliver this training.

In 2020-2021, the in-person carer training program was translated into digital content, and the first prototype of the mobile application tailored for home use was developed. The team plans to test and release the Minimal Viable Product in 2025.

Why challenges can MATCH address?

The MATCH project aims to address the challenges faced by family and professional carers in effectively managing the symptoms and behaviours associated with dementia, such as agitation, aberrant motor behaviour, irritability, anxiety, and depression. According to Dementia Australia, more than 470,000 Australians are living with dementia, and up to 90% of them may experience these symptoms at some point during the disease's progression. 

These symptoms can lead to depression, burnout, and increased morbidity and mortality in family carers. As a result, they may be forced to transition their loved ones into residential aged care, causing negative impacts, including losses in health, cognition, social connection, privacy, independence, and increased distress, anger, and confusion. 

Additionally, residential aged care staff may experience stress when trying to support new residents during the transition, which can lead to inappropriate use of pharmacological interventions with negative health outcomes. Existing music therapy approaches rely on clinician-provided direct therapy services or training professional or family carers, which have several implementation barriers. The MATCH project aims to provide support to overcome these challenges and provide training and support at scale.

Suggested reading: A Roadmap for Dementia Care: Dementia Australia Announces Plans to Improve Quality of Care

Who can benefit from this new technology?

MATCH is a mobile application that has been designed to empower family caregivers to use music to support care and manage dementia symptoms at home. This innovative technology can be beneficial for a wide range of people:

People living with Dementia

For people with dementia, MATCH can offer a way to access long-term memories and experiences through music. As cognitive function declines, confusion and distress can take hold, making it difficult to connect with loved ones. But by harnessing the therapeutic benefits of music, it's possible to improve their well-being and reduce the severity of challenging behaviours, such as physical and verbal aggression.

Carers

For caregivers, MATCH provides the skills and tools needed to use music as a supportive care tool for dementia management. Caregivers can be trained to use music strategically and mindfully as an adaptive tool to support care, reduce symptoms, as well as foster meaning and connection within families affected by dementia. This can help reduce the burden of care for family caregivers, improve their quality of life, and enhance their relationship with their loved ones with dementia.

Communities

Beyond individual families, MATCH has the potential to benefit the wider community. The app draws on evidence that music can stimulate autobiographical recall, regulate arousal, decrease the severity of challenging behaviours, reduce depression, and enhance mood. By making this technology accessible, scalable, and culturally sensitive, MATCH has the potential to help more people with dementia and their families, and even reduce the strain on aged care services.

Suggested reading: Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s: Understanding their Similarities, Differences and Support Needs

How can MATCH help carers?

The MATCH app offers valuable assistance to carers by providing guidance on how to effectively use music for people living with dementia. While music has the potential to enhance mood and well-being, it's important to use it mindfully and intentionally, as certain types of music may not be appropriate in every situation. 

MATCH offers easy-to-follow instructions on how to use music during various activities, such as personal care, meals, and reducing confusion. The training and guidance within the app have been carefully crafted by experienced music therapy clinicians and researchers, and have been tested through the HOMESIDE clinical trial, which was funded by the European Union's JPND research program. By training carers on which music to use, when to use it, how long to use it, and why it's effective, the MATCH app provides critical support for those caring for people with dementia.

How to participate in MATCH

Currently, the MATCH team is testing the initial version of the app with people with dementia and their family carers who are residing together. If you are a person with dementia or a carer and would like to participate in the eight-week trial, you can sign up here.

How Tunstall can also help your loved ones with dementia

Tunstall Healthcare is a leading provider of connected care and health solutions that help people with cognitive disabilities, including those with dementia, to live independently and safely. This is why we stay up to date on the latest trends and research in dementia care and incorporate that knowledge into our products and services.

At Tunstall, we are committed to improving the lives of people with dementia and their caregivers by providing innovative, reliable, and compassionate care solutions. Whether you are looking for technology to help a loved one with dementia live independently, or seeking support and training to better manage their care, Tunstall can help. Contact us today.

Keep reading:A Caregiver’s Guide to Communicating With Those With Dementia