Music Therapy In Geriatric Care

http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.wlu.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=3b406523-9bb7-464d-af29-e2fbcdeb394a%40sessionmgr110&vid=2&hid=127

The Australian Nurses’ Journal,Vol.15(9) (1986), pp. 48-49.
Music Therapy in Geriatric Care
Prinsely, D. M., Royal Australian Nursing Federation

Abstract:

During the time this article was written, Australia had just established their very first music therapy education program in the University of Melbourne. Geriatric care was one of the many cliental populations that music therapists were already working with during this time period. Prinsley defined music therapy as ‘A planned and controlled use of music to achieve therapeutic aims with clients’ (Prinsley, 1986, p. 48). In the article, music therapy is highlighted to be a type of practice that made music more than just a piece of entertainment and recreation for people. The article framed that music therapy was for people with mental retardation, emotional disruption, and physical disability and/or limitation.

Prinsley outlined four specific treatment goals for geriatric care in his article. The first goal, which was the social goal, was to increase the cooperation and interaction of geriatric clients in a music therapy group session. The aim here was to improve the social behavior amongst the clients. The second goal was the psychological goal. The second goal was targeting to evoke mood change in clients, modify behavior, and increase the maximum ability for clients to be able to express themselves. The third intellectual goal aimed to improve clients’ organization of mental processes, help in speech development, and offer sensory stimulation. The very last goal which is the physical goal, aimed to reinforce physical exercise, provide movement for the physically disabled, give sensory motor integration, and also to release motor skills in hopes to incorporate new skills with the facilitation of music.

Prinsley explained that clients in the geriatric care during this time period grew up in a musical era (i.e. 1920-1930’s). Many of the clients in geriatric care at this time grew up singing in choirs and played instruments when they were younger. The article also emphasized the fact that a person’s musical memory is primarily fixated when he or she is between the ages of 15-25. The article also explains the power of music and the significance it holds as a stimulus that can recall reminiscence in a dormant brain of a geriatric client. Prinsley then goes on to explain the prominence of using familiar songs with geriatric clients. Prinsley really emphasized the great value that music holds and how using familiar songs can allow a dormant client to become motivated into participating in activities. Prinsley also signified the use of rhythm to reinforce physical motor skills and building musical skills in geriatric clients. The article also discussed how music was reducing the use of medication and hypnosis for geriatric clients with irregular sleep or insomnia. This was done by playing ‘light music’ for geriatric clients with sleeping troubles during nighttime for 2 hours. In a case study, during a 3-month period, 28 out of 32 clients began to sleep better without hypnotics.

The last section of Prinsley’s article explained what was required for a music therapist in order to be effective in therapeutic practices. Priestly listed that an effective music therapist must be trained in music therapy and be able to attain strong relationships with other staff in the workplace (i.e. – the speech therapist and physiotherapist). Prinsley also mentioned that the piano, guitar, tape recorder, and simple instruments were sources that were necessary for music therapy. When all the above is provided Prinsley stated that ‘nurses (anyone) can conduct groups in music without difficulty’ (Prinsley, 1986, p. 48). Prinsley explains in his article by informing the readers that the only possible problem that may occur during a music therapy session is that a client may get emotionally upset if they hear music that evokes unpleasant association or memory.

Prinsley closes his article by summarizing that he sees the value and effect that music has on people, but he does not see the significance of a music therapist.

In conclusion, Prinsley believed that people did not need to have great knowledge or skill in music to facilitate a music therapy session as long as they had the right sources.

Keywords: Music therapy, Geriatric care, Receptive music therapy, insomnia, Quantitative study