Music Therapy In Palliative Care Research Articles

Influence of music on the quality of life of palliative cancer patients

A small prospective, multicentre study examined the effect of a perceptual acoustic stimulus (music) on quality of life of palliative cancer patients with special reference to pain.14 test subjects (m = 4, w = 10; age 67.6 (SD = 9.7)) in stationary or mobile care situation were included. The current therapy has not been modified.Each subject received a CD with 12 songs, an information folder, a guide to using the CD as well as a questionnaire.The offered music therapy was experienced by all study participants (100 %) as helpful. The effect was seen differently in psychological, physical, spiritual, and social quality of life. The pain was reduced nociable in 11 out of 14 participants.From the experience of the autors we demand to offer and enable music therapy in palliative care to each patient, but also adapt to their individual needs.

A Palliative Holistic Approach to MND Using Music Therapy

This article details the role of music therapy (MT) in the palliative care of a 66-year-old woman (Liz) living with severe disabilities caused by motor neurone disease. It forms part of a small but growing body of case-related evidence designed to support the use of MT in palliative care. It describes how music gave Liz a renewed sense of meaning, purpose, control and usefulness that she thought had been lost to her. Through MT Liz was able to manage some of her most frightening emotions and symptoms because she was able to use the music and her new found powers of composition to travel in her imagination to a place where her suffering did not exist. That, she said, enabled her to endure severe breathing difficulties and undergo necessary but frightening medical interventions. Liz renewed her interest in singing and, with the aid of the music therapist, was able to develop new compositional skills, such that her original compositions were performed as full choral works for her family and in public, which was a source of great exhilaration for her. Conflicts of interest: none

Hilliard, Russell E. (2005). Hospice and palliative care music therapy: A guide to program development and clinical care. Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books. 128 pages. $20.00

Hilliard, Russell E. (2005). Hospice and palliative care music therapy: A guide to development and clinical care. Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books. 128 pages. $20.00 This book is deceiving in appearance. At roughly 1 20 pages, it seems to be a quick read which could be easily used as a reference for the obvious purpose stated in its title. However, it becomes clear early in the first chapter that Hilliard has packed a great deal of information and resources into a compact volume. His extensive background in hospice and palliative care is evident in his knowledge of hospice organizational structures and administrative needs. Its purpose, as Dena Register states in the book's foreword, is to both new and seasoned clinicians with the information required to successfully pursue development of a hospice music therapy program (p. v) with particular emphasis on the oft-ignored business of such a task. Hilliard's relatively brief professional career, only 14 years long, is as packed with experience as his book is with information. His biographical blurb details how he started a brand new hospice straight out of his internship in 1 994 and then continued to initiate over 20 more such programs since. Besides working in end-of-life care, he also practiced in psychiatric and grief/bereavement settings. Additionally, he completed a master's of social work degree and a Ph.D., the latter through Florida State University. Music therapists who have little hospice experience, such as myself, will likely reach for this book for practical advice on hospice music therapy development, especially if they are familiar with Hilliard's writings and frequent conference presentations on the topic. Readers will want to know what it takes, clinically and practically, to initiate and maintain a new music therapy in hospice. Hilliard begins to answer these questions by providing background on the hospice movement in the United States and brief descriptions of how music has been used in these settings, including nonmusic therapy applications such as music thanatology, music counseling, and medical troubadours. He also gives an overview of how the U.S. healthcare system works with and manages funding and organizational structures of hospice care, which is imperative for music therapists to understand before embarking on development. In the second chapter, he then addresses the clinical needs of the hospice population, citing medical research and describing Quality of Life scales which can be useful for music therapists learning about the hospice field's assessment tools. In the third chapter Hilliard addresses the clinical aspects of music therapy in hospice. After reviewing both quantitative and qualitative research with this population, he then gives an overview of his own music therapy orientation in hospice care: Cognitive-Behavioral Music Therapy (which he abbreviates as CbxMT). While Hilliard acknowledges that music therapy training in the United States is diverse, he cites his own 2003 research which seems to support the efficacy of CbxMT in increasing the quality of life for hospice patients. (The effects of music therapy on the quality and length of life of people diagnosed with terminal cancer. Journal of Music Therapy. 40(2), 113-137). He goes on to describe relevant music therapy techniques, eventually presenting 22 music therapy Care Plans addressing the varied clinical needs identified in the previous chapter. These plans resemble music therapy activity plans in that they outline the materials needed to provide a specific technique, the procedure in implementing the technique, and a case example. Some of these plans are written by music therapy interns, some by music therapists with master's degrees, and some by Hilliard himself. There is no clear distinction between the skill level of these various practitioners or the level of practice at which the practitioners are operating. …

The Meaning of the Music: The Role of Music in Palliative Care Music Therapy as Perceived by Bereaved Caregivers of Advanced Cancer Patients

In an earlier qualitative research study exploring the meaning of preloss music therapy to bereaved caregivers who participated in sessions through a home-based hospice program, various narrative accounts revealed the significance of music in music therapy sessions. In this study, the role of music in palliative care music therapy is examined and representatively summarized, followed by a review of strategies provided by this author to home hospice patients and their caregivers. The reported perceptions of the meaning of music to 7 bereaved caregivers are presented, including a review of themes and associated narrations that illustrated its significance. The caregivers described these aspects of music in sessions to have memorable and lasting effects as follows: "music is a conduit,'' "music gets inside us,'' "live music makes a difference,'' and "music is love.'' Findings support the benefits of preloss music therapy for bereaved caregivers.

Saying it in song: music therapy as a carer support intervention

The burdens experienced by informal caregivers are likely to increase in the context of the UK's ageing demographic, and the movement towards more home-based care for those with long-term, chronic or palliative illnesses. This article combines an overview of our understanding of caregiving and carer support interventions, with an outline of the evidence base for music therapy in palliative care. Case material from the author's experiences of songwriting with a carer is used to provide a practical insight into how this emerging palliative care discipline may have the potential to alleviate carer burden, and enhance wellness. More research to explore the efficacy of music therapy as a carer support intervention is recommended.

The Effect of Music Therapy on Anxiety in Patients who are Terminally Ill

The literature supporting the use of music therapy in palliative care is growing. However, the number of quantitative research studies investigating the use of music therapy in palliative care, and specifically anxiety, is limited. The aim of this research project was to examine the effectiveness of a single music therapy session in reducing anxiety for terminally ill patients. A randomized-controlled design was implemented and the following hypotheses tested. There will be a significant difference between the experimental and control groups on anxiety levels as demonstrated by the anxiety measurement of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), and heart rate. The experimental group received a single music therapy intervention and the control group received a volunteer visit. Twenty-five participants with end-stage terminal disease receiving inpatient hospice services were recruited. The first hypothesis was supported. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in anxiety for the experimental group on the anxiety measurement of the ESAS (p = 0.005). A post hoc analysis found significant reductions in other measurements on the ESAS in the experimental group, specifically pain (p = 0.019), tiredness (p = 0.024) and drowsiness (p = 0.018). The second hypothesis was not supported. The study supports the use of music therapy to manage anxiety in terminally ill patients. Further studies are required to examine the effect of music therapy over a longer time period, as well as addressing other symptom issues.

Hospice and palliative care music therapy: A guide to program development and clinical care

Hospice and palliative care music therapy: A guide to program development and clinical care

Multi‐disciplinary perspectives of music therapy in palliative care

Multi‐disciplinary perspectives of music therapy in palliative care

Music Therapy in Hospice and Palliative Care: a Review of the Empirical Data

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.

Hospice Administrators' Knowledge of Music Therapy: A Comparative Analysis of Surveys

ABSTRACT: This study compares results of surveys sent six years apart to 382 hospice administrators seeking their level of knowledge regarding music therapy for the terminally ill, whether or not they currently employ or would like to employ a music therapist, and what obstacles exist in utilizing music therapy in their agencies. The results indicate a need for music therapists to be able to address the financial needs of hospices and to include business aspects of the benefits of music therapy in their marketing endeavors to hospice administrators. Furthermore, colleges and universities training future music therapists need to incorporate end-of-life training in the coursework, practica, and internships to provide a pool of qualified music therapists for hospices to employ. Introduction and Literature Review Hospice and palliative care music therapy has been emerging in the past decade as a growing field, and many professionals have been presenting their clinical work at professional conferences as well as publishing their work in scholarly journals. Hospice is a philosophy of care where palliative treatment is chosen over curative treatment, and goals are to alleviate pain and discomfort rather than to strive for a cure. To access hospice services in the United States, a patient must be diagnosed with a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less to live. Hospices provide a myriad of services, and Medicare regulations mandate that the interdisciplinary team consist of physicians, nurses, counselors or social workers, chaplains, adjunct therapists, home health aides, and volunteers. Hospice professionals serve terminally ill patients and their families in private homes, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and in-patient hospice settings. Reimbursement for hospice care is provided by Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance companies, and Health Management Organizations, and non-profit hospices often fund raise in order to serve those who are not covered by insurance and have an inability to privately pay. Medicare requires that hospices provide professional services (i.e., counseling, nursing, etc.), durable medical equipment, medications related to the terminal illness, and bereavement services to patients' families for 13 months following the death. Music therapists have been serving patients with a terminal illness and their families and have documented their work in the literature. Much of the literature is rich in qualitative studies illustrating the uses of music therapy for people with a terminal illness. Several studies have shown how music therapy was used to increase relaxation, provide emotional support, bring families closer together, cope with anticipatory grief, and provide spiritual support (O'Callaghan, 2001; Salmon, 2001; Weber, 1996; West, 1994). While music therapists utilize a variety of techniques, several studies explain the use of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM), songwriting, the creation of musical profiles, and the planned gifts of songs to loved ones or for memorial services (Erdonmez, 1995; O'Callaghan, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1997;Skaggs, 1997; Whittal, 1991;Wylie & Bloom, 1986). Cognitive-behavioral music therapy techniques have been utilized to ease pain, anxiety, and depression and provide a frame work for grief support among patients receiving hospice care and their families (Hilliard, 2001 a). While much of the qualitative literature in end-of-life care music therapy consists of program descriptions, theories, and case studies, grounded theory and phenomenological research techniques have also been utilized to document music therapy for people with a terminal illness. O'Callaghan (1996) utilized grounded theory and thematic analysis to document the use of songwriting to provide emotional expression and support patients as they live out important themes in their lives. In another study, phenomenological research was used to identify emerging essences in music therapy sessions. …

Music therapy in palliative care: current perspectives.

As the music therapy profession has developed internationally over the last 25 years, so has its role in palliative care. Music is a highly versatile and dynamic therapeutic modality, lending itself to a variety of music therapy techniques used to benefit both those living with life-threatening illnesses and their family members and caregivers. This article will give a broad overview of the historical roots of music therapy and introduce the techniques that are employed in current practice. By combining a review of mainstream music therapy practice involving musical improvisation, song-writing and receptive/recreational techniques with case material from my own experience, this article aims to highlight the potential music therapy holds as an effective holistic practice for palliative care, whatever the care setting.

The Use of Music Therapy in Meeting the Multidimensional Needs of Hospice Patients and Families

This article presents four case studies which demonstrate the use of music therapy in assisting palliative care patients and families cope with grief and loss, pain and anxiety, disorientation and dementia, lack of meaning, and hopelessness. Music therapy techniques are illustrated and patient-related goals are defined within the case studies. A review of the literature supports the use of music therapy in palliative care, and a variety of qualitative and quantitative studies are reported in the article.

A Response to the Review of Music Therapy in Palliative Care — New Voices

A Response to the Review of <i>Music Therapy in Palliative Care — New Voices</i>

Book Review: Music Therapy in Palliative Care — New Voices

Book Review: Music Therapy in Palliative Care — New Voices

Music Therapy in Palliative Care for Hospitalized Children and Adolescents

Music Therapy in Palliative Care for Hospitalized Children and Adolescents

Book Review: Music therapy in palliative care – new voices

Book Review: Music therapy in palliative care – new voices

Music Therapy in Palliative Care: New Voices

Music Therapy in Palliative Care: New Voices

Book Review: Music Therapy in Palliative Care, New Voices

Book Review: Music Therapy in Palliative Care, New Voices

Bibliography for music therapy in palliative care, 1963-1997.

Bibliography for music therapy in palliative care, 1963-1997.

Book Review: Lonely Waters. Proceedings of the International Conference on Music Therapy in Palliative Care

Book Review: Lonely Waters. Proceedings of the International Conference on Music Therapy in Palliative Care