Use of Music Therapy to Improve the Quality of Life of Advanced Cancer Patients
This research project concerns the effect of music therapy sessions on the quality of life people suffering from cancer disease. This pilot study was conducted with patients of Oncology Palliative Care Department an organization providing services to advanced cancer patients and their families in Poznań. The program in music therapy of cancer patients was begun last year ago. "Music therapy for advanced cancer patients" is a quite new concept in Poland. The aim of this project is to define a potential of music therapy in meeting the needs of terminally ill patients with music therapist as a member of a multidisciplinary health care team. The purpose of this project is to outline the rationale of using music therapy in palliative care and present the preliminary observations on the impact of this therapeutic tool.
Background
Music therapy is the intentional use of the properties and the potential of music and their impact on the human being, either as a form of psychosocial and spiritual support or as an adjunct intervention strategy to symptom management, nursing and medical care. Music therapy can improve the quality of life by addressing the emotional, spiritual and physical needs. (S. Munro).
For this study music therapy is defined as a form of psychotherapy using:
- relaxation and induction of an altered state of consciousness,
- classical music (baroque, classicism ?"musica sedativa" ),
- practice of guiding during the music,
- spontaneous imagery from the patient and integration / processing after the music experience,
From another side, the foundation of the music therapy program is a cognitive-behavioral approach where music therapy interventions are designed to treat identified problems and allow for the expression of emotions while respecting the process inherent within the live musical dialogue ("Orff's instruments").
Methods:
The program in music therapy of Oncology Palliative Care Department was begun last year ago. Music therapist treated a variety of clinical needs of patients during the study. The music therapy sessions incorporated, singing, speech, discussion, movement, live music listening, receptive music listening, music and imagery, imaginary and relaxation, lyric discussion, song writing, music performance or music improvisation.
Subjects: A total of 14 patients of Day Care Center of Oncology Palliative Care Department in Poznań participated in this study. All patients were diagnosed as having terminal cancer. Types of cancer included: breast, brain, liver, pancreatic, esophagus, larynx. Patients took part in the study over 6 weeks period of time. During that period participants took part in 12 music therapy sessions consisting of different types of interventions. The subjects were three males and eleven females ranking in age 42-84 years old. Eight patients received 12 sessions, while six other patients received 3-5 sessions.
Criteria for subject participation were:
-a terminal cancer diagnosis was made,
-the subject was an adult,
-the subject resided in Day Care Center,
-the subject was able to answer question regarding perceived quality of life,
-and the subject consented to participation in the study.
Measures: Quality of Life was measured by Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questions that provide a generic measure of self-reported health status. These questions pertain to various aspects of quality of life and can be grouped in eight dimensions: physical functioning, role-physical, role-emotional, bodily pain, vitality, mental health, social functioning, and general health. Higher scores on the SF-36 indicated a higher perceived quality of life.
Results:
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects music therapy on the quality of life cancer patients in palliative care. It was preliminary investigation into clinical outcomes of hospice patients receiving music therapy Patients took part in the study over 6 weeks period of time. During that period eight patients received 12 sessions, while six other patients received 3-5 sessions. Quality of life was measured by the SF-36, a self-report tool administrated to patients with music therapist. All patients were able to complete the SF-36.
Results indicate that the music therapy can influence on the Quality of life people with cancer disease. There were no significant differences in results by age or gender of patients. Short term results indicated that music therapy sessions were most effective in increasing vitality and mental functioning. Long term results indicated that music therapy sessions were most effective in increasing vitality, mental, emotional and social functioning. There was a significant difference between the two groups combined on the QOL scores. There was also significant difference between the first and second QOL scores in the groups.
Quality of life was higher for those patients they received more music therapy sessions. Music therapy has no significant effect on patients' physical functioning
Conclusions:
Music therapy is the planned and creative use of music to attain and maintain health and well being. Music therapy can promote relaxation, reduce stress, relieve discomfort, reduce patient's experience of pain and treatment related symptoms. Music therapy offers opportunities for increased self expression, positive experiences and an increased sense of meaning. By meeting patients' changing needs, music therapy aims to improve their quality of life.
Music therapy can influence on emotional well-being, cognitive skills, communication abilities and social functioning people with cancer disease. Music therapy allows explore personal filings, emotions and makes positive changes in emotional states.
My short experiences with advanced cancer patients provided that music therapy can influence on the all aspects of the personality of human. Music therapy is a complementary, but a very important way of "treatment". It might be an essential component of improve quality of life of patients with cancer disease. Furthermore, it might be basic for planning effective programs of therapy and rehabilitation for patients that have special needs.
Cancer And Quality Of Life
There was a time when during prehistoric times, people used to communicate in sign languages. Today most of us talk to each other through a short SMS. Times have changed. Have human beings changed? Have our basic desires changed? No!
About the modern world -
How to live in this modern world and still maintain close contact that touches the heart, while using latest technology? Every communication need not be heart to heart. A simple business mail needs to be precise and to the point. But what about our communication with our friends, and family?
Even business needs communication that talks the language of heart. Look at the successful advertisements. You will find that the company is trying to touch the consumer hearts. Study any close business relationship, and you will find that the relationship has crossed the "to the point talk" of business and reached heart to heart talk between the buyer and the supplier.
Communication for better relationships-
For long lasting relationships and for living a satisfied life, we need to communicate with everyone we come across in the language that is dear to all of us. That is the language that touches the heart! How to do that? Can that be done?
Writing and answering emails -
Emails are the most popular and common method of communication in today's world. Most of us, who are otherwise not on our computer all the day, try to find some time to check our mails and answer them. Emails have become preferred method and a second habit, rather an essential part of a modern person.
How do we talk to each other on emails? Some of us are very brief where as some others believe in writing long paragraphs to send a small message. It is same as our behavior in other areas of life. Those who believe in speaking less, write short answers and mails. Our habits carry themselves in our method of writing mails. But the habit of sending short mails is becoming more prevalent.
Why brief mails ?
Why it is that brief mails are becoming more common? Is it because most of us are finding no time to talk. We are always so busy and rushed that gone are the days when people used to sit down and write their text after deep thought. For a majority of young population, the main task is to finish answering all the mails as soon as possible. How does one talk heart to heart in such a life?
This reflects our lifestyle in the modern world. Most of us want to achieve our goals as soon as possible. No one has the time to sit back and reflect. Life is becoming a prisoner of work. Even our ancestors used to work, but are we living a satisfied life such as they used to? The answer would be no. Brief writing habit is part of the deterioration in quality life.
Emails - The cause of poor quality of life?
Are emails one of the causes of deteriorating quality communication? This can be debated. But the ease of answering and the hurry to open another mail and answer propels us to finish our mails fast. The technology is making us do it. The response of computers is so quick that we work in an unknowing hurry. Is this not worth a thought?
What can be done?
We must try to live a satisfied and happy life. For that, we must communicate better. Our communication must be heart to heart, even when we are rushing through the day. That is little difficult but not impossible as it sounds. Sending ecards, and egreetings can help us in doing this to a great extent. It may take a little more time, but will give us satisfaction at the end of the day.
Both Malgosia Stanczyk M.a, Music Therapist & Cdmohatta are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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