title: Relaxing music at mealtime in nursing homes: effects on agitated patients with dementia.
abstract: Agitation in individuals with severe cognitive impairment is a significant problem that affects care and overall quality of life. Building on research conducted by Goddaer and Abraham (1994), this quasi-experimental study proposed that relaxing music played during meals would exert a calming effect and decrease agitated behaviors among nursing home residents with dementia. Thirty residents residing in a Special Care Unit participated in the 4-week study. The Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (Cohen-Mansfield, Marx, & Rosenthal, 1989) was used to gather data. Baseline data was obtained in Week 1 (no music). Music was introduced in Week 2, removed in Week 3, and reintroduced in Week 4. At the end of the 4-week study, overall reductions in the cumulative incidence of total agitated behaviors were observed. Reductions in absolute numbers of agitated behaviors were achieved during the weeks with music and a distinct pattern was observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University of New Brunswick Saint John, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. shicks@unbsj.ca
authors.forename: Sandee Lynn
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hicks-Moore
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000517:prevention & control; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009146:Music / Q000523:psychology*; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000517:prevention & control*