Group music therapy in an eldercare setting reduces agitation and may be a useful tool in managing aggressive behavior, according to a new study.
Investigators examined agitation in 30 nursing home residents aged 60 to 85 years at the Hyde Park Convalescent Hospital in Los Angeles. The findings were presented during the American Psychiatric Nurses Association 34th Annual Conference, which wrapped up in early October.
Caregivers played familiar calming music such as ballads and lullabies through a speaker while residents ate lunch for approximately 30 to 45 minutes. The intervention took place over an eight-week period, punctuated with three weekly sessions.
Compared with residents who did not receive music therapy, the 30 residents who participated in the study exhibited fewer agitated behaviors at the end of the eight weeks. Similar reductions were seen in physical, aggressive behaviors such as hitting, biting and making sexual advances.
“Music intervention can be regarded as a safe and cost-effective approach in managing dementia symptoms of elderly patients,” said researcher Pedro Estrada Morante.
“This method promises great potential in replacing antipsychotic drugs to manage aggressive behavior brought about by dementia in elderly patients,” he concluded.
From the November 2020 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
