The Department of Social Work is seeking to recruit volunteer research assistants for a study of the impact of music on dementia in older adults. Volunteer research assistants must have their own cars to drive to nursing facilities. The time commitment is two times per week for 3 hours per session for 7 weeks. Start dates will be staggered from mid-April into May and June. A training session for all research assistants will be held in early April. Each research assistant will be assigned to one nursing facility. At the facility, the volunteer will meet with 3 persons with dementia individually for 60 minutes to help them listen to music that is personal to them. While the person with dementia is listening to the music, the research assistant will observe and record any emotion or behavior changes that occur. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring joy and pleasure to a group of people who are very ill, while gaining valuable professional experience for a resume. We will be serving 12 local facilities (within 30 minutes of GMU), and 8 distant facilities (more than 45 minutes from GMU) in Front Royal, Warrenton, Luray, Winchester, Culpeper, and Woodstock. If interested, please respond to this opportunity and someone will be in touch with you to discuss your availability and desired location. For more information about our study and to see video of the Music & Memory program, go to musicmem.gmu.edu
