Music therapy can bring relaxation, stress reduction and feelings of joy for hospice patients.

A Pharmacist’s Music Therapy Lesson

When I first learned that I would be shadowing a music therapist during my hospice rotation with Care Dimensions, I will admit, I was skeptical. As a pharmacist, I have been trained to practice evidence-based medicine, and there are few high quality randomized controlled trials that evaluate complementary therapies. As a result, my treatment recommendations have been focused on adjusting my patients’ medications. I have since learned, however, that physical pain is not the only target of music therapy.

During my pain management and palliative care fellowship, I have come to realize that physical symptoms only account for a fraction of the suffering endured by end-of-life patients. It is equally important to consider psychological, social, and spiritual pain. These have proven to be more elusive targets for pharmacists, who have been taught to rely largely on medication.

My time with Dan, the music therapist I accompanied on patient visits, changed my perspective about complementary therapy. During our first visit, I was immediately enthralled as he began to play Blue Skies by Ella Fitzgerald. I learned this song was tactfully chosen, not only for its gentle tone, but also because it was released when our patient was a child. This was one of many strategies that Dan utilized to spark fond memories, even in patients with advanced dementia. 

The sound of his voice over the acoustic guitar brought a smooth smile over the face of a non-communicative, elderly woman who had appeared restless and agitated just moments before. As the song progressed, the creases around her eyes and along her forehead vanished. She settled into her chair and began to rock from side to side. Within a few minutes, a small crowd surrounded Dan and me in the hall of the nursing home that we were visiting. Everyone gently swayed back and forth, while mouthing the words of each new tune he played. The therapeutic impact was made apparent by the warm smiles and relaxed demeanors of all in earshot, including the nursing staff and even myself. Dan played four more songs, ending with a delicate rendition of Fly Me to the Moon, in which I found myself drifting with our patient to a state of profound tranquility. 

I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to witness the peace that is brought to the hearts of humankind by music therapy. I now understand that while medication can alleviate physical pain, music can calm the soul.

Learn about Care Dimensions’ complementary therapies for hospice patients.

About the author
Joseph Ricciutti, Pharm.D., has been working with Care Dimensions through a partnership with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Interprofessional Palliative Care Fellowship Program.