Music Therapy as a Treatment for Delirium in Acutely Hospitalized Older Patients

Preferred Recorded Music (PRM) involves a credentialed music therapist in planning and administering, which qualifies it as music therapy, which is defined as a professional use of music and its elements to improve physical, social, communicative, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual health, optimize quality of life and wellbeing(Aigen, 2013; Bruscia, 2014). PRM intervention will be delivered for 30 minutes, once per day at the same time of the day, for three consecutive days. The intervention will consist of the previously assessed preferred songs/musical pieces. During the PRM intervention the MT will start/stop the music and otherwise not engage with the participants during the listening session.

Preferred Live Music (PLM) involves a credentialed music therapist in planning and administering which qualifies it as music therapy, which is defined as professional use of music and its elements to improve physical, social, communicative, emotional, intellectual and spiritual health, optimize quality of life and wellbeing (Aigen, 2013; Bruscia, 2014).PRM intervention will be delivered for 30 minutes, once per day at the same time of the day, for three consecutive days. The intervention will consist of the previously assessed preferred songs/musical pieces. The MT will be more actively engaged in a musical interaction with the participants in the PLM interventions.