While medication is used to manage patient pain, at iServe Healthcare, we use a holistic patient-first approach to manage the physical and emotional through music therapy. Music is known to soothe the soul and paired with hospice care, it can have some powerful pain management properties.
What is Music Therapy?
Music therapy is more than listening to music for pleasure. It is an evidence-based holistic practice that is used to address the emotional, physical, and psychological needs of a patient.
Music has natural mood-lifting properties that can promote the overall well-being of a patient while providing emotional support and reducing stress.
Who Benefits from Music Therapy?
Music therapy is not for everyone and generally works best with patients who actually want to receive this type of therapy. Other patients who would benefit from this type of therapy include:
- Patients feeling lonely or isolated
- Patients dealing with cognitive conditions like dementia
- Patients who suffer from depression, emotional distress and anxiety
- Patients facing communication and cognitive impairments
- Patients who are managing acute or chronic pain
Our care team and music therapy specialists will evaluate each patient to determine whether music therapy is suitable.
How Does Music Therapy Work?
Music therapy is personalized to each patient’s preferences, unique needs, and abilities to lift spirits, which can help reduce physical symptoms.
Commonly used techniques in music therapy include:
- Letting patients choose their favorite music
- Singing familiar songs
- Movement and light dancing
- Writing or discussing lyrics
- Guided medication and music-based relaxation
- Playing simple instruments
Each session is tailored to their unique needs.
What are the Benefits of Music Therapy?
Music therapy has a wide range of physical, emotional, mental, and social benefits:
- Improved mood and emotional expression
- Support with processing unresolved emotions and grief
- Enhanced social connection
- Reduced feelings of isolation
- More opportunities for meaningful reflection
- Encourages verbal and non-verbal expression
- Supports conflict resolution
- Offers creative and joyful outlets during the end-of-life stage
- Brings back memories
These benefits can help our patients live meaningful lives while managing their symptoms.
