scholarly journals Soothing Sounds: an Investigation into the Value of Music in Palliative Care

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Karen Anne Hall

<p>Music has almost turned full circle in its application for people whose physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being needs to be addressed, particularly in palliative care. Music has been used for centuries to enhance everyday life, and offer therapeutic properties to heal the body and the soul. Since the development of palliative care as a specialised area of medicine and nursing in the 1970s there has been an increased awareness in providing total or holistic care. This acknowledges the patient as a whole person, and the multitude of difficulties that patients and their families may face. Music can be useful in helping individuals to cope with the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual pain that accompanies dying. Because of music's non-threatening nature, it can often 'speak' where words are sometimes difficult. Music is tied closely to human emotions, and often music can be the catalyst to 'lift the lid' off these emotions in a safe, supportive environment. This qualitative study focuses on van Manen's theory of the 'lived experience' in relation to two families and asks the first thesis question. What is the value of music in the care of someone who is dying? Over the course of their loved one's illness these families provided music in the patients home as part of their care. The study also captures the experiences of two nurses who work in the palliative setting, and their use of music in providing holistic care to their patients. Their experiences relate to the second question. How can nurses be assisted in introducing music into their planned care of patients? The results demonstrate the effectiveness of using taped music for someone who is dying, and the reduction in symptoms, such as anxiety, and pain. It also highlights the importance of the individual's choice, and the special moments that can be achieved for both patient and families when music is used in a caring, supportive environment. This encourages communication, especially in the sharing of emotions. This study may be the first qualitative study in New Zealand, that addresses the value of music in palliative care, therefore there is a need for continued research into this therapy as a treatment modality as part of planned care in palliative nursing.</p>

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Karen Anne Hall

<p>Music has almost turned full circle in its application for people whose physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being needs to be addressed, particularly in palliative care. Music has been used for centuries to enhance everyday life, and offer therapeutic properties to heal the body and the soul. Since the development of palliative care as a specialised area of medicine and nursing in the 1970s there has been an increased awareness in providing total or holistic care. This acknowledges the patient as a whole person, and the multitude of difficulties that patients and their families may face. Music can be useful in helping individuals to cope with the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual pain that accompanies dying. Because of music's non-threatening nature, it can often 'speak' where words are sometimes difficult. Music is tied closely to human emotions, and often music can be the catalyst to 'lift the lid' off these emotions in a safe, supportive environment. This qualitative study focuses on van Manen's theory of the 'lived experience' in relation to two families and asks the first thesis question. What is the value of music in the care of someone who is dying? Over the course of their loved one's illness these families provided music in the patients home as part of their care. The study also captures the experiences of two nurses who work in the palliative setting, and their use of music in providing holistic care to their patients. Their experiences relate to the second question. How can nurses be assisted in introducing music into their planned care of patients? The results demonstrate the effectiveness of using taped music for someone who is dying, and the reduction in symptoms, such as anxiety, and pain. It also highlights the importance of the individual's choice, and the special moments that can be achieved for both patient and families when music is used in a caring, supportive environment. This encourages communication, especially in the sharing of emotions. This study may be the first qualitative study in New Zealand, that addresses the value of music in palliative care, therefore there is a need for continued research into this therapy as a treatment modality as part of planned care in palliative nursing.</p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 227
Author(s):  
SarahRose Black ◽  
Gary Rodin ◽  
Camilla Zimmermann

Music therapy in palliative care aims to provide psychosocial support, assistance with pain and symptom management and opportunities for life review and legacy work. Although there have been a variety of studies conducted on the effects of music therapy in palliative care facilities, there is a gap in research examining the experience and feasibility of music therapy on acute palliative care units within cancer care settings. This qualitative study explored the lived experience of inter-active listening (IAL), an individualized music therapy in which the therapist plays music or sings while the patient engages through listening, for nine inpatients on a palliative care unit. The study found that a receptive music therapy referred to as IAL was associated, in cancer patients in an acute palliative care unit, with increased emotional and spiritual well-being and a greater sense of connection to self and others. Further research into specific effects of various music therapy intervention styles is warranted. 


2021 ◽  
pp. 026921632199472
Author(s):  
Natalia Salamanca-Balen ◽  
Thomas V Merluzzi ◽  
Man Chen

Background: The concept of hope is an important theme in chronic illness and palliative care and has been associated with increased psycho-spiritual well-being and quality of life. Psycho-spiritual interventions have been described in this population, but no systematic review of hope-enhancing interventions or hopelessness-reducing interventions has been conducted for persons with palliative care diseases. Aim: To describe and assess the effectiveness of interventions in palliative care that measure hope and/or hopelessness as an outcome. Design: This systematic review and meta-analysis was pre-registered (Prospero ID: CRD42019119956). Data sources: Electronic databases, journals, and references were searched. We used the Cochrane criteria to assess the risk of bias within studies. Results: Thirty-five studies (24 randomized controlled trials, 5 quasi-experimental, 6 pre-post studies) involving a total of 3296 palliative care patients were included. Compared with usual/standard cancer care alone, interventions significantly increased hope levels at a medium effect size ( g = 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.28–0.93) but did not significantly reduce hopelessness ( g = −0.08, 95% CI = −0.18 to 0.02). It was found that interventions significantly increase spirituality ( g = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.02–1.37) and decrease depression ( g = −0.29, 95% CI = −0.51 to −0.07), but had no significant effect over anxiety, quality of life, and symptom burden. Overall, quality of evidence across the included studies was rated as low. Conclusions: Evidence suggests that interventions can be effective in increasing hope in palliative care patients.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e047632
Author(s):  
Helen Humphreys ◽  
Laura Kilby ◽  
Nik Kudiersky ◽  
Robert Copeland

ObjectivesTo explore the lived experience of long COVID with particular focus on the role of physical activity.DesignQualitative study using semistructured interviews.Participants18 people living with long COVID (9 men, 9 women; aged between 18–74 years; 10 white British, 3 white Other, 3 Asian, 1 black, 1 mixed ethnicity) recruited via a UK-based research interest database for people with long COVID.SettingTelephone interviews with 17 participants living in the UK and 1 participant living in the USA.ResultsFour themes were generated. Theme 1 describes how participants struggled with drastically reduced physical function, compounded by the cognitive and psychological effects of long COVID. Theme 2 highlights challenges associated with finding and interpreting advice about physical activity that was appropriately tailored. Theme 3 describes individual approaches to managing symptoms including fatigue and ‘brain fog’ while trying to resume and maintain activities of daily living and other forms of exercise. Theme 4 illustrates the battle with self-concept to accept reduced function (even temporarily) and the fear of permanent reduction in physical and cognitive ability.ConclusionsThis study provides insight into the challenges of managing physical activity alongside the extended symptoms associated with long COVID. Findings highlight the need for greater clarity and tailoring of physical activity-related advice for people with long COVID and improved support to resume activities important to individual well-being.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 115-117
Author(s):  
Raju Kumar ◽  
Vijay Shankar Pandey

Ahara is the foremost factor among all which sustain the life and maintain the normal physiological functioning of the human body and comprises the basic most cause of life. Provide longevity, complexion, satisfaction, strength, nourishment, growth and development also imparts mental as well as spiritual well-being. That is why in Ayurveda it is considered that healthy nutrition nourishes the body, mind and soul, through which a person can afford to perform all the activities which lead to happiness, heaven and salvation. But without knowing the proper dietary guidelines one cannot gain adequate nutrition and hence optimum benefits from the food. That is why it is important to awake people about the importance of dietary discipline. Otherwise from the beginning, it has to be seen that the dietary unconcern comprises the susceptibility to several diseases. Hence in Ayurveda, there are many guidelines related to diet and its contents are given which govern the adequate nutritional profile for a healthy life. Such diet line provisions are more precisely prescribed in Charka Samhita Vimana Sthana called the Ahara Vidhi Vidhana.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy Hau Yan Ho ◽  
Oindrila Dutta ◽  
Geraldine Tan-Ho ◽  
Toh Hsiang Benny Tan ◽  
Casuarine Low Xinyi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Conventionally, psycho-socio-spiritual interventions for parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness begin post child loss. Pre-loss interventions addressing anticipatory grief can improve holistic well-being and grief outcomes among family caregivers of dying patients. Globally, palliative care strives to holistically support patients and their caregivers at the end-of-life. However, inadequacies exist both globally and in Singapore in providing culturally sensitive psycho-socio-spiritual support to parents whose children need pediatric palliative services. Aim: A novel evidence-based Narrative e-Writing Intervention (NeW-I) is developed to address this gap. NeW-I is a strength-focused, meaning-oriented and therapist-facilitated mobile app and web-based counseling platform that aims to enhance quality of life, spiritual well-being, hope and perceived social support, and reduce depressive symptoms, caregiver burden and risk of complicated grief among parents facing their child’s chronic life-threatening illness. Methods: The design of NeW-I is informed by an international systematic review and a Singapore-based qualitative inquiry on the lived experience of bereaved parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness. The online NeW-I platform and the relative anonymity it offers to participants is sensitive to the unique cultural needs of Asian family caregivers who are uncomfortable with emotional expression even during times of loss and separation. Together with four local pediatric palliative care providers, NeW-I is implemented in Singapore as an open-label pilot randomized controlled trial with 72 parents. Potential effectiveness of NeW-I and accessibility and feasibility of implementing and delivering the intervention are assessed. Discussion: NeW-I aspires to improve psycho-socio-spiritual well-being of parents facing their child’s chronic life-threatening illness through a structured cyber-counseling platform, thereby enhancing holistic pediatric palliative care and parental bereavement support services. Findings from this pilot study will inform the development of a standardized NeW-I protocol and further research to evaluate the efficacy of NeW-I in Singapore and in other Asian communities around the world.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cory Ingram

In palliative care we have the privilege to care for seriously ill people and their families. Some people value capturing their life story or illness journey on film. I have been fortunate to have been invited into the lives of many people close the end of life for a heartfelt conversation.On an interactive iPad incorporated in the poster, the recorded narrative of patients and one bereft spouse the poster audience will experience the lived experience of people close to the end of life as they reflect on their lives. The narratives will demonstrate how each lived with a new found improved quality of life in the face of increasing symptoms, declining functioning and the approaching end of life; otherwise known as healing. Topics of healing and quality of life, patient-centered care, dignity, human development, spirituality and love will be the focus of their stories. The stories lay bare the very practical, emotional, existential, and personal experience central to our provision of whole person care through palliative care. The poster audience will experience a renewed sense of the impact of a dedicated approach to whole person care as experienced through those on the receiving end.


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