Music in the life of nursing home residents

Figures & data

Table 1. Participant characteristics.

NURSING HOME	PARTICIPANTS (N = 20)	AGE (71–99 years, M = 84.6 ± 7.3)	SEX (13 F, 7 M)
1 (n = 3)	Simona Sonia Sandra	91 86 74	Female Female Female
2 (n = 3)	Paolo Paola Pietro	82 99 91	Male Female Male
3 (n = 5)	Gina Giovanni Giovanna Grazia Ginevra	85 88 94 83 95	Female Male Female Female Female
4 (n = 4)	Maria Michela Matteo Mario	71 82 93 84	Female Female Male Male
5 (n = 2)	Carlo Candido	82 79	Male Male
6 (n = 3)	Olga Oriana Ornella	79 82 73	Female Female Female

Table 2. Overarching themes and subthemes arising from the analysis of the nursing home residents’ interviews.

THEMES	SUBTHEMES
Music, identity and life stories [Musica, identità e storia di vita]	Music triggering autobiographical memories Music maintaining continuity with the past Music as a link to past people and experiences Musical preferences within individuals’ life stories
Music, emotions and wellbeing [Musica, emozioni e benessere]	Positive emotions and musical engagement Functions of music
Individual and social engagement with music [Rapporto con la musica individuale e collettivo]	Individual and group perspectives on music activities Singing as a means to social interaction
Music, habits and agency in nursing homes [Musica, abitudini e scelte in casa per anziani]	Decrease of use of music/music engagement Agency in nursing home Variety of appreciated genres and interest toward unfamiliar repertoires

Section 1. Questions concerning music and the present day.

INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS	FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS
1. Do you listen to music?	1A. what kind of music do you like?
2. Do you have a favourite piece of music?	2A. Why is this your favourite piece? 2B. When did you hear this piece for the first time? 2C. What kind of emotions does this music elicit in you? 2D. Are there any specific memories attached to this piece?
3. Is there any kind of music you dislike?	3A. Why?
4. Why do you listen to music these days?	4A. Does the music elicit strong emotions or memories in you? 4B. How often and for how long do you listen to music? 4C. Do you listen to music at specific times of day (or days of the week)? 4D. Are you able to choose when and where listen to music? 4E. Do you like to listen to unfamiliar kinds of music or do you prefer to listen to music to which you are already accustomed?
5. These days, do you listen to music more or less than in the past?	5A. Why? 5B. Has aging (or the aging process) impacted on your habits of listening to music? 5C. These days, is music more or less meaningful than in the past? 5D. Would you like to have the opportunity to listen to music more?
6. How much do you like listening to music? (1=not at all, 100=very much)

Section 2. Questions concerning music and the past.

INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS	FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS
7.Did you like to listen to music in the past?
8.In what period of your life did you listen to music most?	8A. Why? 8B. At that time, how often and for how long did you listen to music? 8C. Did you normally choose the music that you listened? Or did someone/something else choose it (e.g. radio, television)? 8D. Did you primarily listen to music alone or with other people? 8E. Was the music primarily in the background or did you explicitly listen to it with full attention? 8F. Where did you primarily listen to music (e.g. at home, while driving, in public places)? 8G. Did you listen to live music, and if so, how often?
9. Did your musical preferences change over your life course?	9A. What kinds of music did you most appreciate during each stage of your life? •When you were a child? •When you were a teenager? •When you were about 20 years old? •When you were about 50 years old? 9B. Why did you like these kinds of music?
10.How much did you like listening to music during the time you were listening to it most? (1=not at all, 100=very much)
11.Have you ever played a musical instrument or sing? If no: Would you like to do so?	11A. What instrument? 11B. Do you still play? If no: 11B.1 Why did you quit? 11B.2 When did you quit? 11C. Did you have musical training in your school years? If yes: 11C.1 Did you like it?
12.Would you like to sing these days?	If yes: 12A. Would you prefer to sing in a choir or alone? 12B. Do you think that singing or playing an instrument could impact your appreciation of music?