Effectiveness of music intervention on the quality of life of older people.
OBJECTIVE
This paper is a report of a study of the effect of music on the quality of life of community-dwelling older Chinese people in Hong Kong.


BACKGROUND
Older people's quality of life can be improved by preparing for the transition into old age. Listening to music, as a vehicle for feeling, can facilitate the non-verbal expression of emotion, reaching people's inner feelings without being threatening, and it can be a tool for emotional catharsis.


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial design was conducted from in 2007 in a community centre in Hong Kong. A total of 66 older people (31 in music group and 35 in control group), aged from 65 to 90 years were randomly assigned to undergo either a 30-minute music intervention or a rest period for 4 weeks; quality of life outcomes were then measured.


RESULTS
Quality of life improved weekly in the music group, indicating a cumulative dose effect, and a statistically significantly better quality of life was found over time in each sub-score for those in the music group compared with the controls. However, in the music group, there were no statistically significant improvements of quality of life in each sub-score over the 4 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Being engaged in music activities can help a person to connect with their life experiences and with other people, and to be more stimulated. Music is a non-invasive, simple and inexpensive therapeutic method of improving quality of life in community-dwelling elders.
Lee
Yin Yi
YY
Orthopaedic and Traumatology Department, United Christian Hospital, HKSAR, China.
Chan
Moon Fai
MF
Mok
Esther
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009146:Music / Q000523:psychology; D009147:Music Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D015399:Nursing Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome