Hospice Care of the LowCountry

Music and Art Therapy as Pain Control in Hospice

Music Therapy, also known as Expressive Therapy, is one of two types of complementary and alternative medicine that have shown to be beneficial for hospice patients for pain control and reducing agitation, depression, and improving their overall quality of life.

Similarly, art therapy has demonstrated improvements in pain, fatigue, anxiety, and depression among palliative care in patients, and massage has been shown to improve both psychological and physical well-being in patients with a variety of cancers.

Programs such as art therapy offer hospice patients (children and adults) and their families additional benefits such as:

  • Providing a creative outlet for self-expression and interpersonal support
  • Helping patients and families manage pain and other symptoms
  • Decreasing loneliness and isolation
  • Encouraging movement and active engagement
  • Facilitating reminiscence and life review
  • Providing opportunities for creating a legacy

In a study published in the Journal of Pain Symptom Management, it was found that less than one-third of U.S. hospices employ art, massage, or music therapists despite the benefits these services may provide to patients and families.

Art can produce a powerful release of feelings that can be healing to the mind, body, and spirit. Common goals of art therapy include relaxation and stress relief, providing insight on emotions, and encouraging communication between loved ones. Patients commonly express feelings through image appreciation and hands-on painting, among which the landscape was the most common scene in their art. For those who are grieving, art therapy can also be a creative tool for sharing memories and exploring coping skills. There is never any skill required.

Dorothy Mackintosh, a Canadian Art Therapist in training says that art therapy can take many forms including drawing, painting, sculpting, and fabric arts. Maintaining a sense of self is a key element at the end of life, and making meaning through the creative process can be a profound and healing experience for many.  For some people, art therapy provides an opportunity to adjust to the effects of their diagnosis and the way that the illness has changed their lives.

For example, if a person has lost their independence, taking an active role in the art making may increase feelings of empowerment and self-worth. For families, being able to create art with or about their loved one can help with the healing process, as well as leaving them with precious memories and a sense of peace.

Music therapy is another creative opportunity for patients and families to express emotions within an atmosphere of comfort and relaxation. Individuals may join in the making of music or just choose to listen. Therapeutic experiences may include songwriting, music performances, and vocal or musical improvisation. For hospice patients dealing with physical pain, music therapy provides:

  • Positive changes in mood, relaxation, peace, and comfort
  • Anxiety and stress reduction
  • Social interaction with caregivers and family members
  • Memory recall, reminiscence, and satisfaction with life
  • Improved relaxation
  • Enhanced communication and speech abilities
  • Improved motor coordination

Music therapy can be used for special needs as well. For patients with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, music therapy can enhance socialization, assist in recall and language skills and decrease the frequency of agitated behavior. In October 2017, The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) released a video showing the use of music therapy in hospice care. “Mr. Gregg: the Life of the Party” follows Robert Gregg, a Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care patient, suffering from memory loss and agitation due to advanced illness.  Music therapy has helped restore some of the lighter and more cheerful aspects of Mr. Gregg’s personality and has been a positive addition to his care.

Sara Harris, Board Certified Music Therapist at Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care who works with Gregg believed that music is power and that “music bridges the gap between their reality [the patients’] and ours.” She goes on to add that “for families who may have not seen their loved ones speak or sing or anything the past few years, it’s just absolutely priceless.”

Music therapy in hospice is unique in that it can draw from the patient’s culture, religious beliefs, and cherished memories to create a healing experience that is deeply personal and meaningful.

Click here to read more on how music can help can help a loved one going through hospice care.

Additional Links:

https://www.nhpco.org/press-room/press-releases/music-therapy-helps-hospice-patients-and-families

https://www.hopehospice.org/Expressive/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4480160/

https://crhcf.org/Blog/music-therapy-in-hospice/

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