Connecting Through Music for people with dementia
Official title: Making Connections Thru Music: A Group Music Therapy-Based Intervention for Persons With Dementia
Run by Hopeful Aging · NCT06079216 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The trial tests a music-based program led by volunteers or staff to help residents with dementia in long-term care facilities, aiming to ease behavioral symptoms and improve caregiving efficiency.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 103 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 196 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Hopeful Aging Industry-sponsored |
| Locations | 2 sites (Winchester, Massachusetts and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | April 29, 2027 |
| Study ends | April 30, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | September 15, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06079216 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are residents with dementia (any type), 65 years or older, English-speaking, and residing in participating facilities, along with volunteers aged 55+ who can engage in the program.
✕Probably not a fit
Residents without dementia or those not meeting cognitive criteria may not experience direct benefits from the intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This interventional study explores a music-based program called Making Connections Thru Music to support residents with dementia in long-term care settings. It compares volunteer-led and staff-led versions of the program to see how well tailored psychosocial and communication support can reduce behavioral symptoms and improve interactions. Eligible participants include residents aged 65+ with dementia (any type) and facility staff and volunteers who meet language and cognitive criteria. The study is conducted in two Massachusetts sites and is led by Hopeful Aging, with collaboration from the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging. Outcomes focus on behavioral expressions and care delivery in the context of caregiver shortages.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, residents may experience fewer behavioral symptoms and improved quality of interactions, and facilities may manage dementia-related behaviors more effectively.
How similar studies have gone: Prior psychosocial and music-based approaches have shown benefits in reducing agitation and improving mood in dementia care, though the volunteer vs. staff-led format is comparatively less studied.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Volunteers must be aged 55+ and speak/read conversational English. * Staff participants must be at least 18 years old, work within a residential care facility participating in the study, and speak and read English. Exclusion Criteria: * Volunteers will be excluded if they are diagnosed with dementia based on self-report and/or if they score 23 or lower on theMini Mental State Exam (MMSE; Folstein et al., 1975). Such a score would be indicative of possible cognitive impairment. * Staff members will be excluded if they work third shift only. PWD Residents with dementia must be diagnosed with dementia (any type), score 10 or above on the MMSE, be aged 65+, and speak/read conversational English. * PWD will be excluded if they show signs of rapid physical or cognitive decline (based upon staff report or as evidenced by information gained during screening).
Where it's running
-
Hopeful Aging
Winchester, Massachusetts, United States Recruiting -
The Hearthstone Institute, LLC
Winchester, Massachusetts, United States Recruiting
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.