Listen, Breathe, Move: a Multiweek Music Therapy and Gentle Movement Virtual Pilot Program for Informal/family Caregivers Grant uri icon

abstract

  • Abstract of Project
    This project seeks to pilot 'Listen, Breathe, Move' (LBM), a four-week, virtually delivered intervention integrating music therapy and gentle movement (yoga) targeting the health-related quality of life and psychosocial wellbeing of informal/family caregivers (ICG) of adults over 18. ICGs, who are unpaid individuals that assist those with various diagnoses with health and/or living needs, included 53 million Americans in 2020, with that number continuing to rise. The complex demands of ICGs negatively impact physiological and psychological health and the need for effective non-pharmacological interventions continues to exist. The LBM intervention includes 4 weekly, 45-minute virtually delivered sessions incorporating music-assisted mindfulness experiences and yoga-based physical activity will skills systematically built upon throughout the program. Health-related quality of life and wellbeing will be measured across 6-weeks (pre, 2-week, 4-week, 2-weeks post intervention) along with perceived benefit and acceptability via descriptive survey evaluations.
    A pivotal component to the project is undergraduate research assistants (URAs) from two interdisciplinary areas (Music Therapy &; Kinesiology). Currently, limited opportunities exist for music therapy students to participate in research, particularly across disciplines that commonly interact in the professional industry. URAs will assist in the development and implementation of the intervention during data collection, analysis, and presentation of findings.

date/time interval

  • March 2023 - February 2024