Zach's Proposal

The Who: The population I would be working with for this project would be older adults. Older adults typically start experiencing some forms of cognitive decline and loss of motor skills, having active involvement and engagement with music can maintain current levels of function and mitigate declines. The age ranges for this event would be 50 and up for the Older Adults.

The Why, What & How - Rationale: I would like to learn more about the older adults in the community and around Lexington. What issues and challenges do they face? What is a problem that they deal with regularly? How can music be used to help address some of these concerns? “Older adults commonly experience slight reductions in psychomotor speed and working memory capacity” (Reschke-Hernandez, 2021), involvement in a music based group could be a positive environment for working on addressing their needs and working towards whatever goals they might have. Staying cognitively or physically active could be beneficial to the reductions in psychomotor speed or working memory they might experience. I enjoy working with this population and I would like to get more involved with older adults in the community.  Some example ideas of what might be helpful for older adults in the community are: doing a rock band, an iPad band or going to different older adult facilities in the area and giving an in-service to staff members to explain the difference between Music Therapy and music performers. 

Prior Experiences: 

• When I lived in Greenville NC attending ECU, I was in our music therapy clubs “Events & Service Coordinator” as such I have experience organizing events in public places like parks, so I am comfortable in group gathering and facilitating group gatherings

• Music Therapy work with older adults, this semester’s two placements and my prior prac placement as an undergrad.

• Experience at Levine Cancer Institute involving an older adult and active music making & singing (Weekly session with a patient)

• Gigging with a band while friends were playing Bass, drums, Electric Guitar and other miscellaneous instruments. I also have experience gigging in public and in outdoor venues.

Possible Experts: 

• Dr. Reschke-Hernandez; and her work with older adults

• Professor Austin Robinson; and all of his expertise organizing gigs

• Nora Veblen; And her private practice that involves work with older adult work in the community

• OLLI who provide services for anyone ages 50 and up