This first-of-its-kind collaboration brings together a large, multidisciplinary team of national and international researchers and partners, with collaborators in Switzerland, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Japan and across Canada.

Alongside Bruyère Health, the University of Ottawa, and Switzerland’s Institut Jaques-Dalcroze, The Royal is driving global innovation by using the Dalcroze method — blending music and movement to engage brain and body — to improve the mental health of older adults.

Unlike traditional approaches, the Dalcroze method invites participants to experience music physically through rhythm and movement, making it inclusive and effective — even for individuals who may not be able to hear music but can feel its vibration.

Led out of The Royal’s Music and Mental Health Research Clinic, the project is exploring how experiencing music through movement can simultaneously activate cognitive, emotional and physical processes to improve mental health outcomes for older adults.

Backed by $5.5 million in funding from major sponsors — including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation — this ambitious initiative is advancing evidence-based music and movement approaches in mental health care.

This work addresses a critical gap by generating the scientific evidence needed to move music-based interventions into mainstream mental health care. The long-term goal is to establish a scalable “Music on Prescription” model — a cost-effective, community-based approach to support an aging population by prescribing music interventions as treatment.

“Research is essential to transforming innovative ideas into real-world care,” said Dr. Florence Dzierszinski, President and CEO, Research Institute, The Royal. “By strengthening the evidence behind music and movement interventions, we can improve access to more personalized, effective care and integrate these approaches into the mental health care system — improving care for older adults across Canada and beyond.”

Internationally, the Dalcroze method is already influencing health systems. In Switzerland, some insurance providers cover Dalcroze Eurhythmics classes for older adults due to their role in fall prevention and overall well-being — highlighting its growing recognition as a viable, evidence-informed intervention.

By bringing together research, clinical care and the arts, this initiative positions The Royal — and Canada — at the forefront of a global movement toward more holistic, inclusive mental health treatments.