Abstract
Although music therapy is an established allied health profession and is used with increasing frequency in the treatment of those with a terminal illness, there is a real dearth of empirical research literature supporting the use of music therapy in end-of-life care. This article reviews the empirical studies found in the literature and documents the emergence of an evidenced-based approach to the use of music therapy in hospice and palliative care. A total of 11 studies are reviewed; of these, six show significant differences supporting the use of music therapy in this area. Dependent variables positively affected by music therapy include pain, physical comfort, fatigue and energy, anxiety and relaxation, time and duration of treatment, mood, spirituality and quality of life. Guidelines for future research are considered, and variables that need to be controlled are presented. The need to create an evidence-based approach to hospice and palliative care music therapy is articulated, and future researchers are empowered to continue to conduct investigations among this population.
Highlights
Music therapy is a growing service provided in end-of-life care, with music therapists gaining employment opportunities in hospices and as members of palliative care teams in hospitals each year
With new music therapy programs being implemented in hospice and palliative care, more patients and families have access to this service [1]
Because music therapists often report qualitatively that music assists the dying in releasing life, this study evaluated the time of death of each participant in the experimental condition in relation to the last visit, by hospice discipline
Summary
Music therapy is a growing service provided in end-of-life care, with music therapists gaining employment opportunities in hospices and as members of palliative care teams in hospitals each year. With new music therapy programs being implemented in hospice and palliative care, more patients and families have access to this service [1]. In hospice and palliative care, music therapists use methods such as song writing, improvisation, guided imagery and music, lyric analysis, singing, instrument playing and music therapy relaxation techniques to treat the many needs of patients and families receiving care. The literature on music therapy in end-of-life care is rich in qualitative studies Most of these provide descriptions of music therapy programs in hospices or hospital-based palliative care units and utilize case examples to illustrate how music therapy addressed patient and family needs [11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21]. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross recognized the value of music therapy in helping dying patients who
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