Background Music in elderly nursing home: a feasibility explorative study.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Clinical Psychology
• Music Therapy

Background:

• Residential facilities for the elderly often face challenges with residents' psychological and behavioral well-being.
• The potential of background music-listening programs as a therapeutic intervention in this setting is underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a structured background music-listening program in elderly care facilities.
• To assess the impact of music intervention on the psychological and behavioral aspects of residents.

Main Methods:

• A 4-week experimental study involving 29 residents in a residential facility.
• Intervention involved daily music listening programs designed by music therapists for specific times and objectives.
• Comparison between experimental and control conditions using clinical scales and observational grids.

Main Results:

• Music listening programs significantly reduced behavioral symptoms in 7 out of 8 residents with severe neuropsychiatric symptoms.
• Overall improvement observed in most outcomes, with notable exceptions in morning agitation and afternoon irritability.
• The intervention demonstrated feasibility and positive effects on resident well-being.

Conclusions:

• Structured music listening programs can be a valuable therapeutic tool in elderly nursing homes.
• Evidence-based implementation requires clear criteria for music selection, administration, and professional team involvement.
• Further research is encouraged to integrate music-listening approaches into standard care for improved resident outcomes.