Music therapy in adult hospices: a national multicentre survey

In recent years, there has been an increased demand for non-pharmacological, complementary therapies and psychosocial provisions in hospices, aimed at creating spaces for communication and personalised expression in response to the bio-psycho-socio-existential needs of patients and their caregivers. As a contemporary evidence-based professional practice, music therapy is an integral part of multidisciplinary teams in many palliative care settings internationally. In Italy, however, music therapy is a developing area of practice facing certain challenges around professionalisation, funding and service development. This study seeks to explore the current state of music therapy in Italian hospices.

From January 2024 to March 2024, an online survey was disseminated to 213 hospices across Italy. The survey consisted of 10 closed-ended questions. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics.

A 73.7% completion rate was achieved. Music-based interventions are provided in 49.6% of hospices (n=62), and 43.5% of these offer a music therapy service led by a qualified music therapist. Most hospices (n=17) offer music therapy sessions for 3 hours per week. Across all hospices, sessions are primarily individual and take place in patients' rooms. The presence of caregivers varies, and patients are referred to music therapy by different professionals in the team. Information was gathered regarding the use of music therapy during sedation and for bereavement support of caregivers, along with details on assessment tools used.

This study offers an initial overview of music therapy in hospices across Italy and highlights critical questions regarding team integration, training standards, evaluation and funding.