HOMESIDE

HOMESIDE is about music, reading and dementia. It is a large international research project involving five countries and almost 1000 participants. The project participants are people with dementia living at home with a partner/spouse or another close person in the family who provides care (hereinafter referred to as carer).

HOMESIDE stands for «HOME-based family caregiver-delivered music and reading Interventions for people living with DEmentia): A Randomised Controlled Trial». Researchers from five countries are partners in HOMESIDE: Australia (which has the project leader), Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom and Norway. The research is supported by the EU Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Diseases (JPND). The Norwegian Research Council funds the Norwegian partner, CREMAH at NMH.

The study is a three-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT): one group is involved in a music program, and this group is compared to one group that is involved in a reading program and one group that receives standard care only (and thus no other arrangements). The carer will implement the programs after he/she has been trained by qualified music therapists (in the music programs) and occupational therapists (in the reading programs) with experience in dementia care.

The primary objective is to test the effect of the three-month home-based music and reading programs on behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. To measure this, the instrument called The Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) is used. Secondary outcomes will examine relationship quality between carer and person living with dementia, depression, resilience, competence, quality of life of the carer, and quality of life of the person with dementia. Several standardized questionnaires are used to measure any changes. The project will also compare the results in terms of cost-efficiency.

Researchers from five countries participate in HOMESIDE. Professor Felicity Baker at the University of Melbourne is the international project leader. Baker is also professor II at the Norwegian Academy of Music. Dr Imogen Clark, also at the University of Melbourne, is the leader of the Australian part of the project. Professor Helen Odell-Miller is leading the team at Anglia Ruskin University, UK. Professor Thomas Wosch is the leader of the team at the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, Germany, and doctor Anna Bukowska is leading the team at the University of physical education in Krakow, Poland.

Professor Karette Stensæth is a project leader in Norway. The Norwegian research group includes associate professor Tone S. Kvamme, postdoctoral research fellow Kjersti Johansson and PhD research fellow Kristi Stedje.