Music & Memory Program Overview

1. Phase I

Phase I was launched in the fall of 2013 and included 100 nursing homes certified as MUSIC & MEMORY facilities and the equipment to bring personalized music to 1,500 residents. Six months into the implementation, almost 50% of the facilities had expanded their program to bring personalized music to more residents in their facility through fundraising and community outreach.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee conducted four evaluations to assess the effect personalized music has on resident outcomes. Read the white paper (PDF) and final evaluation (PDF) .

Phase I was funded, in part, through a grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

2. Phase II

Phase II began in the fall of 2014 and included 150 nursing homes certified as MUSIC & MEMORY facilities and the equipment to bring personalized music to 1,500 residents.

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire conducted an evaluation to assess the effect the Music and Memory program has on staff retention, working environment, and job satisfaction. Read the results summary (PDF) and evaluation overview (PDF).

Phase II was funded through a grant from CMS.

3. Student Volunteer Program

The Student Volunteer Program launched in the fall of 2015 and includes 62 nursing homes certified as MUSIC & MEMORY facilities and the equipment to bring personalized music to over 500 residents. The final phase of the program included collaboration with 50 nursing homes and 50 high schools or colleges, bringing an intergenerational approach to the implementation.

An evaluation conducted by the national MUSIC & MEMORY organization assessed the impact of this intervention on residents and students.

The Student Volunteer Program was funded through a grant from CMS.

4. Antipsychotic Medication Reduction Pilot

Six nursing homes in the Wisconsin Music & Memory Program were selected because antipsychotic medication use in their facility was over 25% during the last three quarters before the pilot. The previous Music & Memory initiatives gave a limited number of devices to get their program started. This pilot looked at what happens with the reduction of antipsychotic medications if all residents with dementia who are receiving an antipsychotic medication have access to personalized music. Each of the six nursing homes received iPods, headphones, and adapters so all residents on antipsychotic medications have access to personalized music. In addition, each facility received a $150 iTunes gift card. The national MUSIC & MEMORY organization donated the equipment and iTunes gift cards for these 83 additional residents. The Division of Quality Assurance pharmacist consultant monitored the National Partnership Antipsychotic Medication quarterly data and tracked the progress of these six facilities over a nine-month period. The pilot began April 2016.

1. Administration for Community Living (ACL) Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative: Specialized Supportive Services Grant

Behavior Management Training/Consultation for Family Caregiver

Contract with the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Wisconsin to pilot implementation of Music and Memory in the home, with a focus on tribal communities.

The Alzheimer’s Association Greater Wisconsin Chapter administered this pilot project in collaboration with the national MUSIC & MEMORY Program and Wisconsin Music & Memory Program. The pilot enabled 50 tribal members with dementia to obtain an iPod, headphone, portable speaker, charger, and an iTunes gift card. Participants received initial screening to confirm memory loss and eligibility. A music assessment was conducted with the person and caregiver. Subsequent interactions were used to deliver the loaded iPod and share information about community resources. Staff administering the project were certified in the national MUSIC & MEMORY Program pro bono.

This pilot:

• Brought personalized music to tribal members with dementia living at home
• Connected people to the array of programs within their community
• Decreased agitation and improve communication and pleasure for the person with dementia
• Decreased the use of antipsychotic medication for the person with dementia
• Decreased caregiver burden

2. Helen Bader Foundation Grant

Fox Valley Memory Project in collaboration with the national MUSIC & MEMORY program and Wisconsin Music & Memory Program.

This pilot helped 25 people with dementia get an iPod, headphone, portable speaker, charger, and an iTunes gift card. The participant received initial screening to confirm the participant’s memory loss and eligibility. A music assessment was conducted with the person and care partner. Subsequent visits were used to pick up the loaded iPod and share information about community programs, the memory clinics, and other services for when participants visit the Memory Loss Resource Center (MLRC). Staff administering the project were certified in the national MUSIC & MEMORY Program pro bono.

Susan McFadden, Ph.D., professor emeritus from the UW-Oshkosh, evaluated this project. Read the report (PDF) and lessons learned (PDF).

This pilot:

• Brought the benefit of personalized music to people living in their homes
• Connected people to the vast array of programs in this “Dementia Friendly Community”
• Evaluated the effectiveness and spread to other communities

3. UW-Eau Claire Faculty/Student Research Collaboration Grants Program

Music+Memories=Magic

This pilot determined the effectiveness of providing personalized music to older adults suffering from dementia in their homes in the Eau Claire region. The MUSIC & MEMORY non-profit organization had established programs in hundreds of nursing homes in the United States and Canada, including over 250 in Wisconsin. The pilot tested the early success of this treatment approach by moving it into the community where 70-80% of persons with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are cared for primarily by family members.

Modeling after the Toronto iPod project, the study was a small pilot for 25 people with dementia living in their own homes with a care partner. A dementia specialist at the Eau Claire Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) recruited and identified possible participants, with DHS supplying financial and technical support. The national MUSIC & MEMORY Program provided the training pro bono to students who developed the personal playlists and implemented the program.

This project:

• Brought the benefit of personalized music to persons with dementia living in their homes
• Increased dementia screenings
• Connected people to the vast array of programs and resources in this “Dementia Friendly Community”
• Evaluated the effectiveness of the project and disseminate to other communities.

4. Wisconsin Assisted Living Association (WALA) MUSIC & MEMORY^SM for Assisted Living

DHS staff collaborated with WALA and the national MUSIC & MEMORY organization to bring personalized music to assisted living communities. WALA launched the WALA MUSIC & MEMORY (M & M) project at the closing keynote at the WALA Annual Spring Conference in March 2015. WALA then created a dedicated fund to help kick-start Phase 1 and worked to grow the fund to expand into as many assisted living communities as possible.

WALA requested support for the many speakers at the conference from their VIP sponsors to help grow the fund.

• 50% of all contributions sent to WALA were dedicated to provide seed money for the WALA M&M Fund.
• 50%  supported the other conference speakers and other expenses.

5. M3 Insurance – Music & Memory Pilot in Assisted Living Communities

DHS staff collaborated with M3 Insurance and the national MUSIC & MEMORYSM organization to bring personalized music to assisted living communities. M3 funded six of their clients to receive the MUSIC & MEMORY training and certification through a lottery as a pilot. The program was so successful that they expanded to seven additional communities. They then funded them to be certified through MUSIC & MEMORY and also provided the equipment and iTunes gift card.

6. Neil E. Park Family Foundation

DHS staff collaborated with the Neil E. Park Foundation and the national MUSIC & MEMORY organization to bring personalized music to assisted living communities that are part of the Wisconsin Coalition for Collaborative Excellence in Assisted Living (WCCEAL). This pilot served six assisted living communities for six residents in each facility with dementia to obtain an iPod, headphone, portable speaker, charger, and an iTunes gift card. In addition to the use of iPods, iPads were introduced and evaluated in each of the six assisted living facilities. The wide breadth of software, applications, and internet access meant that any resident's interests or hobbies were easily tailored to, resulting in an increase in meaningful, pleasurable activities for the resident. YouTube, entertainment, family photographs, games, Alzheimer's applications, music videos, and Skype, for example, helped reduce resident boredom and isolation while enabling greater independence, productivity, connection, and socialization. Eligible communities primarily served residents with dementia, have five to 15 licensed beds, and were WCCEAL members in good standing. WCCEAL was an innovative collaborative, including DHS, the state Ombudsman Program, the four assisted living provider associations, and the Center for Health Systems Research and Analysis (CHSRA). Two facilities were selected from each of the Wisconsin Assisted Living Associations (LeadingAge Wisconsin, Wisconsin Assisted Living Association, and Wisconsin Center for Assisted Living).The evaluation conducted by CHSRA provided a broader understanding of the effectiveness of the intervention in mitigating negative outcomes associated with dementia and helped support expansion into other assisted living facilities.

7. Clark Street Community School, Middleton Pilot

DHS staff developed a pilot with staff at the Clark Street Community School for a three-week term in May and June of 2015. The goal of the pilot was to provide students with information and resources on dementia and to offer opportunities for community engagement and career exploration. The pilot included:

• Pre and post survey determining knowledge of dementia, biases of aging, and career aspirations
• Instruction from the dementia curriculum developed by DHS and the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) (Kris Felten)
• Brain Health Mini Unit
• Viewing of the documentary Alive INSIDE
• Overview of the Wisconsin Music & Memory Program
• Visit with residents participating in the Wisconsin Music & Memory Program and tour of Oakwood Village
• Interview and develop a playlist for parent/guardian
• Visits with various departments within the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute
• Interview a dementia-friendly business in Middleton
• Visit a memory café meeting at Captain Bill’s in Middleton
• Students demonstrate what they have learned by creating a piece of artwork, presentation, etc. 

This successful three-week term expanded into a full 15-week term in the fall of 2015. The full term incorporated a community service project where the students volunteered at a local Wisconsin Music & Memory-certified nursing home, developing playlists for residents and running an iPod Shuffle community/school drive to expand the program. The students took what they learned about dementia and adapted the information for elementary school children, “teaching” classes at the local elementary schools.

This pilot became the template for other schools across the state to partner with their local nursing homes to create an intergenerational service project as part of the Student Volunteer Program expansion.

8. Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) and County Aging Units

DHS staff collaborated with ADRCs and county aging units, alongside the national MUSIC & MEMORY organization, to bring personalized music to caregivers and their loved ones who are living in their own homes. These pilots helped people with dementia get an iPod, headphone, portable speaker, charger, and an iTunes gift card. The participant received initial screening to confirm their memory loss and eligibility. A music assessment was conducted with the person and care partner. Subsequent visits were used to pick up the loaded iPod and share information about community programs, the memory clinics, and other services. Staff administering the project were certified in the national MUSIC & MEMORY program at a discounted rate.

9. County Aging Units

DHS staff has collaborated with county aging units and the national MUSIC & MEMORY^SM organization to bring personalized music to caregivers and their loved ones who are living in their own homes. These pilots would serve people with dementia to obtain an iPod, headphone, portable speaker, charger, and an iTunes gift card. A music assessment would be conducted with the person and care partner. Subsequent visits would be used to pick up the loaded iPod and share information about community programs, the memory clinics, and other services. Staff administering the project would become certified in the national MUSIC & MEMORY^SM Program at a discounted rate.

Many of the people benefiting from MUSIC & MEMORY^SM in Wisconsin nursing homes, assisted living, other care facilities, and the community are Medicaid recipients or may become Medicaid-eligible in the future. Information and stories we have heard and seen in the news indicate the following impacts:

Nursing Homes and Assisted Living

• Improved quality of life for the person with dementia
• Reduction of antipsychotic and antianxiety medications
• Reduction in pain medications
• Reduction in falls due to the reduction in antipsychotic medications
• Reduction in bed and chair alarms
• Increased staff retention due to improved morale and decreased burden
• Decreased staffing costs due to decrease in behaviors, medications, alarms, etc.
• Increased family engagement
• Decrease in regulatory noncompliance in the area of responding to resident behaviors
• Decreased worker’s compensation due to decrease in behaviors
• Decreased liability due to decrease in behaviors
• Increased census and financial stability due to all of the above.

In the Community

• Improved quality of life for the person with dementia
• Reduction of antipsychotic and antianxiety medications
• Reduction in pain medications
• Reduction in falls due to the reduction in antipsychotic medications
• Decreased caregiver stress
• Increased family engagement
• Delay in admission to a long-term care facility
• Delay in enrollment into public long-term care funding program (Medicaid)

The success of the Wisconsin Music & Memory program has led to other states inquiring about how Wisconsin has accomplished and implemented their program. In addition, when MUSIC & MEMORY^SM is covered nationally, many times Wisconsin is highlighted as a successful model.

DHS staff have collaborated with the following states: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia. DHS staff have also collaborated with Canada, Australia, and Holland.