Nina Wollersberger

Indicative thesis title: Exploring the impact of an indirect music therapy intervention on quality of life for informal caregivers of people living with dementia in the community: a mixed methods study.

NAW137@pgr.aru.ac.uk

Background

Supervisory team: Prof Helen Odell-Miller (1st), Dr Jonathan Pool (2nd), Dr Ming Hung Hsu (3rd)

Nina’s research is a sub-project of the Homeside international randomised controlled trial (Baker et al. 2019). This mixed methods study will examine the impact of a caregiver-delivered music intervention on quality of life for the caregiver of the person living with dementia. The study will frame the Homeside music intervention in the newly emerging field of indirect music therapy practice, including implications for this area of practice in supporting caregiver quality of life.

As a part of her PhD research, Nina is also a music interventionist for the UK arm of the study and hopes to bring out the aspect of practitioner research alongside including perspectives of people living with dementia, caregivers and music therapists in her research.

Nina qualified as an HCPC-registered music therapist in 2017, then began working with NHS Lothian to pilot music therapy services in older adult, and child and adolescent mental health services.

In 2018 Nina moved to New Delhi, India to work with a music therapy charity, setting up music therapy services in a shelter home for children and schools for autistic children and adults. During this time Nina also taught on The Music Therapy Trust’s PGDip course as an academic tutor.

Nina has a long-standing interest in dementia care and cultural considerations in music therapy practice and is therefore excited to be conducting her PhD research as a part of the Homeside study, the largest international music therapy trial in dementia care to date.

Research interests

• Dementia care and caregiving
• Trauma and attachment
• Cultural considerations of music therapy
• Mental health

Qualifications

• MSc Music Therapy, Queen Margaret University
• BA (Hons) Music, Durham University