Exploring a cross-sector partnership and co-design approach with people living with dementia, care partners, and musicians for music-based memory loss programming in the community

Abstract

Arts-based interventions are increasingly recognized as promising approaches for supporting quality of life, connection, and psychosocial well-being among people living with dementia and their care partners. However, many arts-health programs remain difficult to implement, evaluate, and sustain across community and care settings. This three-paper dissertation examines how implementation science and cross-sector partnership approaches can strengthen the design and translation of music-based memory loss programming. The first paper presents a narrative review of arts-based dementia interventions, synthesizing evidence on implementation frameworks, partnership processes, barriers and facilitators, and translational priorities. The second paper applies the Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM) to the pre-implementation co-design of a music-based memory loss program with people living with dementia, care partners, community partners, and professional musicians. Findings highlight the importance of the social climate, preparation, accessibility, flexibility, dyadic participation, and community context. The third paper examines an eight-session community music engagement series developed through a partnership between a university-affiliated dementia center and a performing arts organization’s string quartet-in-residence program. This paper considers how live chamber music, movement, visual art, guided listening, soundscape documentation, and partner reflection created opportunities for collective inquiry and creativity. Across the dissertation, findings suggest that music-based dementia programming requires attention not only to artistic content, but also to the conditions that support delivery: partnership infrastructure, accessibility, role clarity, adaptation, and sustainability. Together, the papers advance an implementation-informed approach to arts-health programming that is context-sensitive and attentive to both participant experience and long-term translation.