Sarah Crabtree

Indicative thesis title: The rationale for the use of singing, listening, playing instruments and movement with music for people living with dementia.

Background

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

A spin-off project of the Homeside study, Sarah's research explores how the four musical activities demonstrate they can fulfil BPSD and Cognitive needs for people living with dementia and which of these needs are or are not fulfilled through the Homeside music interventions.

This research suggests a good opportunity to make an impact, determining what musical interventions can fulfil needs of people with dementia and how these needs are fulfilled.

Sarah is a qualified music therapist and accomplished flautist, having played with national ensembles including a performance at Carnegie Hall and completing a BMus at McGill University in Montreal.

Following her MA Music Therapy training at ARU, she worked at Methodist Homes (MHA) as a music therapist and research assistant working with people living with dementia. Sarah has returned to ARU on a Vice Chancellor’s PhD Scholarship Award to work on the Homeside study.

Research interests

• Dementia
• Mental health
• Cognition/NMT

Qualifications

• NMT, University of Toronto
• Understanding Dementia – University of Tasmania (online course)
• MA Music Therapy - Anglia Ruskin University
• BMus – McGill University, Montreal