Sound can be a powerful tool and memory trigger. For those in hospice, it can bring up better days, positive emotions, and overall better quality of life.
This is why in alternative and unique hospice care, many professionals like to include music therapy.
If this is new to you, you might be wondering about the role of music therapy in hospice and why it matters. We’re here to explain so you can make an informed choice for yourself or your loved one.
Keep reading to learn all about the benefits of hospice music therapy.
Music Can Improve Your Mood
Have you ever listened to a song and had your mood immediately altered? When we listen to sad songs, we feel melancholy. When we listen to songs that are upbeat and poppy, we feel energized.
A bad day is often turned around by a good song.
This is also true for people in hospice care. Hospice can be depressing. It’s hard to find space for positivity. With music therapy, hospice patients are able to use an external source for an improved mood.
Music can also reduce anxiety which is a problem for many hospice patients. It’s a natural way to improve emotional wellbeing.
Furthermore, music therapists often try to involve the family in the music sessions. This added interaction and bonding is great for the patient’s mental health.
Music Can Trigger Memories
Many people who are in hospice care are elderly. Music is a great tool for triggering memories of the past which can make them feel better.
It’s hard to feel as though your past is so far behind you. It can increase the amount of loneliness that comes inherent with being in hospice. When you can trigger memories of happier times, it can put them at peace.
Triggering memories is also good for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia, common causes for hospice care in the first place.
Music Can Help With Cognition
Music therapy is also great for restoring and maintaining cognition. Playing instruments is good for muscle memory and mental stimulation, while listening to them helps the brain recognize patterns.
The only reason that we understand songs as songs is that we’ve developed the ability to put these patterns together and anticipate ones that are coming next.
When a hospice patient has dementia, they’re unlikely to recover. That said, using music in their care is a great way to try to make sure that their decline is slower and that they stay sharper.
Using Music Therapy In Hospice Works
There are many reasons that we choose to use music therapy in hospice care. We want to provide our patients with the best quality of life, and music therapy can boost their moods, improve their cognitive abilities, and remind them of better times.
Not enough hospice care services utilize music therapy for their patients. If you’re looking for music therapy for your loved one, we want to help. Contact us at Unique Hospice for more information.
