Who’s the Target? Music Program Designed for Seniors Positively Affects their Careproviders

Indianapolis, IN

Past research suggests that professional caregivers of geriatric populations work in a high-stress job environment, which generally leads to high burnout rates (Cooper, et al., 2016; Gandoy-Crego, et al., 2008). Our study was designed to evaluate how implementing a music program at an adult day services facility would impact the stress levels, overall job satisfaction and mood of the care providers employed there. We hypothesized that the music program would have a positive effect on the caregivers, reducing their stress, increasing their job satisfaction and improving their mood. Ten full-time professional caregivers (80% female) between the ages of 29 and 83 employed at an adult day service center, Joy’s House, participated in our study. We distributed a baseline questionnaire assessing care providers’ stress, mood, and overall job satisfaction. Next, we implemented a music program for older adults with dementia who were receiving care at the facility. After the music program was in place for six weeks, the 10 participants again completed the same questionnaire to assess any changes in their stress levels, mood or job satisfaction. Consistent with our expectations, the care providers felt significantly less stressed after the music program had been in place for six weeks compared to baseline. Unfortunately, they also reported significantly less overall job satisfaction at the time of the second assessment. Taken together, our results demonstrate a link between the introduction of a personalized music-listening program in an adult day services setting and the job-related perceptions of professional care providers who work there.