Daily Dose of Music

Daily Dose of Music takes the latest research and practices on applying music in care and brings it to the VET level, adapting to the needs of students and the care organizations who will be their future employers. The project aims to increase the use of music in the caring professions by training a new generation of vocational care professionals who are aware of and comfortable using musical interventions in their care practice. Musical interventions when used with patients and residents have been shown to create an increase in well-being, both in the short and long-term, better sleeping and eating, fewer behavioral problems, and, perhaps most importantly, better communication. This increased engagement is an extremely valuable tool when working with people with dementia, for example. For care staff, learning how to effectively use music in their care practice can create easier contact with patients and residents and an improved working environment. It can be a fantastic aid in facilitating daily care tasks, such as eating, showering, sleeping, and taking medicines. Alongside this, feeling empowered to use music in care has a boost for care workers too: it can reduce stress and increase work satisfaction, as well as increase confidence through using personal musical talent and leadership. However, these skills are not yet included in the VET care curricular

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Our approach

Despite the scientific research and various projects integrating music in care, there has been little attention paid to the vocational level. This is even though the vast majority of caregivers are trained at a VET level. Much of the work currently done on bringing music into care contexts is as part of the social outreach courses offered by conservatoires and other higher educational institutions. However, the impact on the care that could be achieved by widespread uptake of these new methods at a vocational level is far greater. That’s why our project actively focuses on how VET students and teachers can take the latesmusicalcare techniques and apply them in a highly practical way in their work. Our project also highlights the essential role of the VET sector more broadly in the uptake and widespread adoption of innovative practices. Only by innovating within VET curricula can we achieve broad change across Europe and wider adoption of musical interventions in care, improving the quality of life of patients and residents