A Study into the Social Impact that Live-In Musician-in-Residence Programs have on Residents in Independent Living Retirement Communities Through University Partnerships

This research aims to identify ways in which student live-in Musician-in-Residence programs help meet the social needs of older adults through university partnerships. Independent Living retirement communities face a gap in music programming. Student live-in Musician-in-Residence programs like the one at Mirabella at Arizona State University (Mirabella at ASU) were used to help determine how music impacted the quality of life of retirees and how it affected their relationships with a younger generation. Only residents in Independent Living were included in the study. Prior research has shown that when an older adult relocates to senior living, it can be viewed stereotypically as a sign that they are diminishing their capacity to live independently and are preparing to live the rest of their lives detached from society. Additionally, research shows that some retirement communities are unaware of how music programs can encourage the fostering of meaningful relationships for independent retired adults. As adults are retiring earlier, they are living healthier lives and require quality programming that reflects their active lifestyle. In this research, the questions asked provided qualitative responses and residents shared anecdotal reports of their experiences. Questions were divided into two categories, 1). Residential history and prior music experience, 2). Sense of belonging and retention. The results of this study suggest that intergenerational music programs contribute to maintaining older adults' social and emotional health by providing opportunities to engage in music through observation and participation. They also show that music programs serve as conduits for fostering relationships between seemingly disparate groups, in this case, the older and younger populations.