Hospice and Palliative Care 2nd Edition

With new music therapy programs being implemented in hospice and palliative care, more patients and families have access to this service. In addition, data from a survey study of 300 randomly selected hospices indicated that the most popular forms of complementary therapies were massage therapy and music therapy. The primary goal of palliative care is to promote patients' quality of life by alleviating physiological, psychological, social and spiritual distress, and improving comfort. Although there are several forms of complementary therapy (e.g., massage, art therapy, aromatherapy, reflexology, therapeutic touch), this article evaluates the music therapy literature and provides data on the emergence of an evidenced-based approach to music therapy in end-of-life care.

This updated and revised edition includes more material on cultural considerations as well as music repertoire.