Supporting Well-being at a Community Day Care Centre for Adults with Other Abilities Using Music Therapy

This qualitative research investigates the music therapy approaches taken in order to support well-being at a day centre for adults with disabilities. Music therapy at the day centre involved individual and group sessions, engaging in music with the wider community, developing trust and supporting each other. The research centred on secondary analysis of music therapy practice text, collected during a five-month period at the day centre. Literature about music / music therapy being able to support well-being in community settings, especially in relation to the practice of community music therapy, was reviewed. The research question 'How did I support well-being at a community day centre for adults with other abilities using music therapy?' was established. Secondary analysis was the methodology used for this study, involving no disruption to regular practice as a student therapist and being low-risk for music therapy participants. A thematic analysis of texts was undertaken and this was developed from; research text, supervision text and a reflective journal of my practice. Analysis involved coding and sorting text and developing meaningful themes. The findings of the analysis demonstrated three core themes which involved supporting well-being: encouraging a sense of fun, promoting a sense of purpose and developing togetherness.