Comparison of a reality orientation program for geriatric patients with and without music

Reality orientation (RO) is a technique used with patients exhibiting confused or disoriented behavior. The purpose of RO is to reverse or halt confusion, social withdrawal, and apathy characteristic of elderly institutionalized patients. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a traditional versus music-based RO program. Eight residents of the Chateau de Notre Dame Nursing Home were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. A pretest was administered to identify any significant differences in RO and behavior functioning between the two groups. The specific goals and objectives for the RO program were then formulated from information gathered on the pretest. The experimental group received two 30-minute music-based RO sessions a week for 8 weeks, while the control group received the same number of traditional RO sessions without music. Upon completion of the treatment, the posttest was administered to each subject. A two-way "mixed effects" analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. A significant interaction (p less than .05) was found between the groups and the treatment condition, with the control group remaining at the same level across trials and the group receiving the music-based RO showing marked improvement.