Browsing by Author "Clements-Cortés, Amy"
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Item Episodes of Relationship Completion Through Song in Palliative Care(2009-09-23T21:40:35Z) Clements-Cortés, Amy; Bartel, Lee; MusicThis study utilized a combination of intrinsic and instrumental case studies to describe the experience of four dying persons and their significant relations, as they engaged in music therapy sessions designed with the goal of facilitating relationship completion. The four primary participants were inpatients of the Baycrest palliative care program who were diagnosed with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of less than six months. Two spouses who were involved in music therapy sessions were co-participants. I developed four case studies to represent each of the rich and detailed stories. Through the use of narrative research methods I was able to describe, interpret, and understand the complexity held within the multiple data sources that informed each case study. Data sources included: music created, utilized, recorded, and/or discussed in music therapy sessions; discussions during music therapy sessions; the researcher’s field notes; formal notes placed in the participant’s medical charts; the formal written assessment; transcriptions of audio-taped music therapy sessions; interviews; interview transcriptions; artistic pieces crafted by myself that emerged from the experiences of the participants as reflected in their interviews, and weekly participation in sessions which were verified by the participants; and other artistic material. The rich knowledge that emerged from the individual case studies informed a cross-case analysis where global themes were identified from a thematic analysis of participants’ experiences; and process motifs arising from the progression of participant engagement in music therapy are described. Global themes included: love; loss; gratitude; growth/transformation; courage/strength; and goodbye. The five process motifs that emerged were: (1) music therapy helps and was valued as a means of sharing the participants’ perceptions of their situation. (2) music therapy provides a safe place to become aware of, explore, and express feelings. (3) music enhances communication. (4) music therapy techniques provide creative avenues for self-expression. (5) music therapy provided a vehicle for revisiting and reminiscing. The thesis concludes with a summary of the knowledge revealed and a discussion of implications for music therapists and health care professionals, as well as a presentation of final thoughts and reflections on my role as researcher in this study.Item Fostering Pre-Professionals and Learning Experiences in End-of-Life Care Contexts: Music Therapy Internship Supervision(2024-02-11) Clements-Cortés, Amy; Klinck, SaraCertified music therapists use music within therapeutic relationships to address human needs, health, and well-being with a variety of populations. Palliative care and music therapy are holistic and diverse fields, adapting to unique issues within end-of-life contexts. Palliative care music therapy has been formally practiced since the late 1970s and affords a variety of benefits, including pain and anxiety reduction, enhancement of quality of life, emotional expression, and relationship completion. The training of music therapists varies around the globe, but clinical supervisors play a key role in skill acquisition. Clinical supervisors support pre-professionals as they realize the application of their training, foundational competencies, and authentic therapeutic approaches in end-of-life care, while navigating the challenges and rewards of this work. This article is a narrative review which offers background information on palliative care music therapy, and reports the authors’ viewpoints and reflections on supervision strategies and models employed with music therapy interns in palliative care settings based on their experiences. Approaches are shared on supporting pre-professionals as they begin working in palliative care contexts, as well as implications for supervision practices.Item International Music Therapists’ Perceptions and Experiences in Telehealth Music Therapy Provision(2023-04-19) Clements-Cortés, Amy; Pranjić, Marija; Knott, David; Mercadal-Brotons, Melissa; Fuller, Allison; Kelly, Lisa; Selvarajah, Indra; Vaudreuil, RebeccaThe use of telehealth within music therapy practice has increased through necessity in recent years. To contribute to the evolving evidence base, this current study on Telehealth Music Therapy (TMT) was undertaken to investigate the telehealth provision experiences of music therapists internationally. Participants completed an anonymous online cross-sectional survey covering demographics, clinical practice, telehealth provision, and telehealth perceptions. Descriptive and inferential statistics, in combination with thematic analysis, were used to analyze the data. A total of 572 music therapists from 29 countries experienced in providing TMT took part in this study. The results showed that the overall number of clinical hours (TMT and in-person hours combined) declined due to the pandemic. Participants also reported reduced perceived success rates in utilizing both live and pre-recorded music in TMT sessions when compared to in-person sessions. Although many music therapists rose to the challenges posed by the pandemic by incorporating TMT delivery modes, there was no clear agreement on whether TMT has more benefits than drawbacks; however, reported benefits included increased client access and caregiver involvement. Furthermore, a correlation analysis revealed moderate-to-strong positive associations between respondents who perceived TMT to have more benefits than drawbacks, proficiency at administering assessments over telehealth, and perceived likelihood of using telehealth in the future. Regarding the influence of primary theoretical orientation and work setting, respondents who selected music psychotherapy as a primary theoretical orientation had more experience providing TMT prior to the pandemic while those primarily working in private practice were most inclined to continue TMT services post-pandemic. Benefits and drawbacks are discussed and future recommendations for TMT are provided.Item “Follow the Musical Road”: Selecting Appropriate Music Experiences for People with Dementia Living in the Community(2023-05-13) Kelly, Lisa; Clements-Cortés, Amy; Ahessy, Bill; Richardson, Ita; Moss, HilaryThere are many music experiences for people with dementia and their caregivers including but not limited to individualized playlists, music and singing groups, dementia-inclusive choirs and concerts, and music therapy. While the benefits of these music experiences have been well documented, an understanding of the differences between them is often absent. However, knowledge of and distinction between these experiences are crucial to people with dementia and their family members, caregivers, and health practitioners to ensure a comprehensive music approach to dementia care is provided. Considering the array of music experiences available, choosing the most appropriate music experience can be challenging. This is an exploratory phenomenological study with significant Public and Patient Involvement (PPI). Through consultation with PPI contributors with dementia via an online focus group and senior music therapists working in dementia care via online semi-structured interviews, this paper aims to identify these distinctions and to address this challenge by providing a visual step-by-step guide. This guide can be consulted when choosing an appropriate music experience for a person with dementia living in the community.Item “Follow the Musical Road”: Selecting Appropriate Music Experiences for People with Dementia Living in the Community(2023-05-13) Kelly, Lisa; Clements-Cortés, Amy; Ahessy, Bill; Richardson, Ita; Moss, HilaryThere are many music experiences for people with dementia and their caregivers including but not limited to individualized playlists, music and singing groups, dementia-inclusive choirs and concerts, and music therapy. While the benefits of these music experiences have been well documented, an understanding of the differences between them is often absent. However, knowledge of and distinction between these experiences are crucial to people with dementia and their family members, caregivers, and health practitioners to ensure a comprehensive music approach to dementia care is provided. Considering the array of music experiences available, choosing the most appropriate music experience can be challenging. This is an exploratory phenomenological study with significant Public and Patient Involvement (PPI). Through consultation with PPI contributors with dementia via an online focus group and senior music therapists working in dementia care via online semi-structured interviews, this paper aims to identify these distinctions and to address this challenge by providing a visual step-by-step guide. This guide can be consulted when choosing an appropriate music experience for a person with dementia living in the community.Item Music Therapy Assessment for Older Adults: Descriptive Mixed-Methods Study(2024-04-23) Clements-Cortés, AmyBackground: The purpose of this inquiry was to test the new ‘Music Therapy Assessment for Older Adults’ (MTAOA) tool in Canada and the United States, and to establish its content and predictive utility. Methods: A pilot study using an explanatory descriptive methods design was chosen; n = 18 music therapists completed an online survey about their experiences in administering the assessment and 50% (n = 9) were invited for a follow-up interview. Results: The results indicated that the MTAOA was a beneficial assessment tool that contained relevant domains (89%) to develop a music therapy treatment plan; 89% of music therapists also noted they would continue to use and recommend the MTAOA. The data produced beneficial information that were used to revise the assessment form to ensure inclusive language and reduce any potential inherent or unconscious biases. Conclusions: Future research is needed to assess the utility of the revised MTAOA in other global regions where music therapists work with older adults.