Abstract
Context
Music therapy (MT) can relieve distressing end-of-life symptoms, but little is known
regarding its effect on caregivers who are at risk for emotional distress as their
loved ones approach death.
Objective
To determine the feasibility of providing MT to caregivers of hospitalized hospice
patients and assess its impact on their well-being.
Methods
Twenty caregivers of patients in general inpatient hospice were enrolled. The intervention
consisted of a single MT session for 20-45 minutes. Caregivers were assessed for
quality of life (Linear Analogue Self-Assessment), depressive and anxiety symptoms
(Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression and Anxiety), and stress (Role Overload
Measure) pre-MT, post-MT and at 6-month follow-up, as well as a satisfaction survey
post-MT.
Results
There were 15/20 (75%) completers of MT intervention, of whom 14 also completed pre-MT
and post-MT assessments, and 9 completed assessments at all 3 timepoints. Post-MT
satisfaction survey (n=14) showed 100% of caregivers were very satisfied with MT and
would recommend to others, and found MT very effective for emotional support (85.7%),
stress relief (78.6%), spiritual support (71.4%), general feeling of wellness (71.4%),
relaxation (69.2%), and pain relief (33.3%).
Conclusion
Research on MT is feasible for caregivers of inpatient hospice patients. Almost all
who completed MT also completed surveys pre- and post-MT. A number of caregivers also
completed the survey at 6-months post-MT. Satisfaction with the MT was very high and
caregivers reported benefits from participation. Future larger studies should be
conducted to better assess the impact of MT on caregivers.
Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03322228
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 10,
2023
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2023 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
