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Effectiveness of music intervention on the quality of life of older people
Author(s) -
Lee Yin Yi,
Chan Moon Fai,
Mok Esther
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of advanced nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.948
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1365-2648
pISSN - 0309-2402
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05445.x
Subject(s) - feeling , music therapy , quality of life (healthcare) , intervention (counseling) , active listening , psychology , randomized controlled trial , gerontology , medicine , physical therapy , nursing , social psychology , psychotherapist , surgery
lee y.y., chan m.f. & mok e. (2010) Effectiveness of music intervention on the quality of life of older people. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66 (12), 2677–2687. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a study of the effect of music on the quality of life of community‐dwelling older Chinese people in Hong Kong. Background. Older people’s quality of life can be improved by preparing for the transition into old age. Listening to music, as a vehicle for feeling, can facilitate the non‐verbal expression of emotion, reaching people’s inner feelings without being threatening, and it can be a tool for emotional catharsis. Method. A randomized controlled trial design was conducted from in 2007 in a community centre in Hong Kong. A total of 66 older people (31 in music group and 35 in control group), aged from 65 to 90 years were randomly assigned to undergo either a 30‐minute music intervention or a rest period for 4 weeks; quality of life outcomes were then measured. Results. Quality of life improved weekly in the music group, indicating a cumulative dose effect, and a statistically significantly better quality of life was found over time in each sub‐score for those in the music group compared with the controls. However, in the music group, there were no statistically significant improvements of quality of life in each sub‐score over the 4 weeks. Conclusion. Being engaged in music activities can help a person to connect with their life experiences and with other people, and to be more stimulated. Music is a non‐invasive, simple and inexpensive therapeutic method of improving quality of life in community‐dwelling elders.