Date of Award

Fall 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Christine E. Sherretz

Second Advisor

Dr. Katrina Hutchins

Third Advisor

Dr. Daniel A. Gordon

Abstract

As the global population of senior adults expands, so does the need for research-based strategies for maintaining health and well-being in this growing demographic. Current research has shown that musical involvement can provide benefits for senior adults’ physical health, cognitive function, emotional well-being, and sense of social connection. This study followed six senior adult musicians aged 60-82 who engaged in weekly musical activities in both individual and group contexts and examined their perceptions of how their daily participation in music-making affected their health and well-being. Participants were observed by the researcher interacting during rehearsals within the context of an active social community. Journaling activities allowed participants to explore how their lifestyles of musical participation affected their emotional, social, physical, and cognitive wellbeing. Study participants also participated in recorded interviews with the researcher discussing their lifetime experiences with musicianship as summative experience when they exited the study. This research suggests that musical participation can serve as a salutogenic practice promoting health and well-being in senior adults. Themes identified in the study suggested that senior adult musicians enjoy lives filled with increased sense of purpose and more active social and spiritual connections.

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