Exploring older adult needs and preferences for technology-assisted group music-making. A qualitative analysis of data collected during the participatory user-centred design process

Abstract

Purpose

Engagement with arts, recreation and leisure is highly valued by older adults, with positive links to their continued wellbeing. Despite an availability of new music technology, these devices are rarely designed with older adults in mind. This project explores the needs and preferences of older adults in residential care as they interact with digital music interfaces in a group music-making context.

Materials and methods

Twenty participants at an Australian residential aged-care facility were involved in a user-centred design process (20 sessions across six months) to develop digital music interfaces suitable for group music-making. Participants’ verbal comments were audio-recorded and transcribed, supported by further written observation notes made by the activity facilitators.

Results

A hybrid inductive and deductive approach to thematic analysis revealed three main themes: individual music-making, ensemble music-making and social engagement. Our results suggest that when interfaces are designed with older adults in mind, technology-assisted group music-making can facilitate bringing together residents with different experiences and abilities.

Conclusions

These findings suggest implications for rehabilitation in developing a range of musical devices for older adults to account for required flexibility, whilst maintaining an appropriate and satisfyingly “rich” musical outcome.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Older adults positively engage with music technology, showing distinct personal preferences for aspects of physical interaction, balance and quality of sound. Rehabilitation and/or wellbeing-based musical activities for older adults in residential care may benefit from considering tools that allow for personal adaptations such as these to be made.

• Preferences for musical interaction can be influenced by previous musical experiences, as well as physical and/or cognitive abilities. However, on any given day musical preferences can also be subject to change.

• Within a group music-making context, there is a significant capacity for older adults to feel agency in contributing to the overall sound; rehabilitation activities and/or technologies could be designed where this individual contribution to the group can be enhanced.

• Group music-making using new digital music interfaces has the potential to encourage interpersonal social connections that are most likely made over repeated sessions.

Keywords:

• Older adults
• residential care
• music
• group music-making
• digital music interfaces
• user-centred design

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the contributions of Dave Anthony, Felix Dobrowohl, Alison Short, Ehab Ghobreyal, Khushali Surti and the lifestyle team at the residential aged-care facility in Western Sydney to the delivery of this project.

Research ethics and research participant consent

The project was approved by the Western Sydney University Human Ethics Committee (Approval Number: H12931).

Disclosure statement

The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Notes

1 The purpose of the project was to provide group music-making sessions that all residents could attend, so details on the previous experience, and physical/cognitive abilities of the participants were not formally collected as part of the study. The range of experience and abilities were noted by the facilitators of the sessions (two registered music therapists) during their conversations with residents and staff.

2 Consent was sought for the project through the residential aged-care staff. If an individual expressed interest in the project, and the facility knew this individual had a reduced capacity to consent, a family member was then also contacted. Project information was provided to both the individual and the family member and consent sought from both.

3 This project although described as a user-centred design process, could be more accurately described as a co-design project that utilises user-centred design methods. For a discussion on the move from user-centred design to co-design, please see [45] and [46].

4 As detailed in [24], each song was arranged with different musical parts constructed for each interface. This was not the most efficient process, being fairly time-consuming, and this had to be balanced with the time available to respond to software and hardware requests for operation of the interfaces themselves.

5 Participant bias refers to individuals acting in ways they think corresponds with what the researchers are looking for.

6 These measures are detailed and analysed in [24].

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by the NSW Department of Communities and Justice under the Liveable Communities Grants Program [LC-0096]. Jennifer MacRitchie’s time was also partially funded by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship [MR/T040580/1].