Music therapy with Chinese elderly immigrant patients with dementia in the United States : recommendations for clinical practice

Abstract

There are a large number of Chinese elderly immigrant patients (CEIP) living in the United States. It is increasingly likely that music therapists will have opportunities to work with members of the Chinese immigrant community. Thus, more research is needed to understand the experiences of elderly Chinese immigrant patients and investigate culturally appropriate ways to work with this population. Music therapy research with Chinese elderly immigrant patients should include an awareness of clinicians’ biases toward Chinese people and Chinese culture, knowledge about Chinese culture, and the use of Chinese music in therapy. With an attitude of openness, flexibility, sincerity, and a willingness to learn, American music therapists will be able to acquire the skills and experiences to be effective and helping patients from a wide variety of countries, cultures, backgrounds, and needs. It was my goal to explore the best ways to work with CEIP with dementia, based on my own understanding of Chinese culture and literature about Chinese elderly immigrants. I hope the information gained from my experiences can provide a different perspective for music therapists who working with CEIP with dementia or those associated with Chinese patients, and also lead to increase research efforts with this population.