Essay Example - Description of Music Therapy

Various treatment methods have been deployed in the treatment of agitation, behavior, cognitive, emotional, and social needs in patients. Most of the intervention strategies deployed in the treatment of behavioral and cognitive problems are pharmacological which have side effects on the patients. In this case, the use of non-invasive intervention approaches is highly encouraged. Music therapy provides a calming and non-invasive approach in the treatment of patients with cognitive, behavioral, psychological, and emotional needs. In this light, various approaches are used in the application of music therapy as an intervention strategy.

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Music therapy utilizes music in facilitating the treatment of cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social needs of the patient. It is employed in two forms, that is, the active form in which participants participate in singing, moving along with the humming and by playing instruments. The other way is passive, and it is also referred to as receptive form, which involves the participant listening to both recorded and live music. According to Fang et al., people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) can perform musical tasks that they had forgotten through the intervention of music therapy. Factors such as memory and the functioning of language indicate substantial outcomes in the patient by embracing music therapy.

Reasons for use and how to use

Treatment of AD involves focusing on the cognitive functioning, behavior, emotional functioning, and the social needs of the patient. Pharmacological approaches are widely used in the treatment of individual symptoms. However, reports on the onset of side effects linked to pharmacological interventions are widespread. The extensive use of drugs in the treatment of AD symptoms results in side effects such as nausea, vomiting, weakness of muscles, diarrhea, and loss in weight of the patient. Therefore, the patient undergoes more suffering.

In most cases, intervention strategies in AD is aimed at improving the quality of life of the patients. However, the side effects caused by the drugs diminishes the opportunities to attain that goal. The side effects increase the patient suffering and therefore fails to improve the patient's quality of life efficiently. Music therapy is non-invasive and provides a treatment approach which is free from side effects as well as the improving the patients' emotional, cognitive, and behavioral needs in addition to improving the general quality of life. Improvement in the cognitive functions and the patient's behavior is critical in the presentation of the patient on a social platform. The patient's social life is improved, which boosts the behavior and the overall cognitive function.

Music therapy addresses all the AD symptoms, and this renders it useful in the treatment. Medication can be used to treat specific symptoms only which increase the exposure of the patient to more medications to address the other symptoms. Furthermore, drugs may be costly for the patient and the caregiver to acquire. This limits the effectiveness of medication in the continuous treatment of AD symptoms.

Music therapy is used in various ways, which include triggering the memory, influencing the abilities to use language and communication along with improving the psychological functioning, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. This is achieved through learning, singing, and performing precomposed music. Active participation in the music session through singing and performance of the music is considered useful in the treatment of AD patients based on Lancioni et al. (2015) findings. According to the study, active participation in music therapy is beneficial in the performance of daily activities. Lancioni et al. considered singing and rhythmic movements as well as smiles as the participation methods in the therapy session. Orti et al. (2018) quantified the level of cortisol using ELISA technique before and after the music therapy session. The study aimed at measuring the level of anxiety and depression in the participants. The results indicated a significant improvement in the emotional variables in short music therapy protocols. According to Fang et al. (2017) review of literature on the impact of music therapy on the intervention of cognition on AD patients, the study highlighted that the use of music therapy as a non-pharmacological intervention reduces the decline in cognition and improve neuropsychiatric symptoms. However, the study states that music therapy is only an adjunct treatment strategy to reduce the dependence on drugs and therefore, a recommendation of continued use of medication should be upheld to realize fast response.

Specific Population and the Goals that can be achieved

Old memories are triggered by the administration of particular music connected to the memories. According to Orti et al., the patients can sing and recall the words in their old favorite songs. The patient tends to recall the emotional facts as well as the song's semantic. AD patients have a cognitive impairment, and music therapy catalyzes the recalling old memories and influences their reconnection of the poor memories. Music therapy enhances the comprehension and production of AD patients. Therefore, listening to the preselected playlist of favorite music, the patient comprehended the conversational topic as well as engaging in conversations based on the song's topic. According to Orti et al., music therapy reduced agitated behavior such as wandering aimlessly, grabbing, physical and verbal aggression, pacing, and repeated sentences and questions. Interactive music therapy reports positive influence on boosting behavioral symptoms in patients.

Similarly, psychological functioning is influenced, and the patient experiences a decrease in psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. On the other hand, music creates a connection between different emotions. Music therapy triggers the emotional connection between the patient and may aid in improving the emotional symptoms of the patient.

In conclusion, music therapy is significantly convincing in treatment of AD symptoms. AD patients present various symptoms which range from cognitive, behavioral, psychological, and emotional. These difficulties lead to a decline in the quality of life of the patients. The establishment of an average of a one-hour session of music therapy to AD patients proves to be of importance. According to various research, therapy improves cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning. The main goals in AD treatment are an improvement in the AD symptoms. The behavioral, language, and memory functioning, psychological, and emotional influence will be enhanced and therefore improving the quality of life of the patient. Improvement in the AD symptoms is crucial in the intervention of AD. Music therapy reports to address the different AD symptoms and effectively influence the social life of the patient. In that light, based on the information from the diverse source, music therapy can improve the different symptoms non-invasively. The ability of music to trigger comprehension and production influences the memory and engagement in verbal conversations.

References

Fang, R., Ye, S., Huangfu, J., & Calimag, D. P. (2017). Music therapy is a potential intervention for cognition of Alzheimer's Disease: a mini-review. Translational neurodegeneration, 6(1), 2.

Lancioni, G. E., Bosco, A., De Caro, M. F., Singh, N. N., O'Reilly, M. F., Green, V. A., ... & Denitto, F. (2015). Effects of response-related music stimulation versus general music stimulation on positive participation of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Developmental neurorehabilitation, 18(3), 169-176.

Orti, R., Garcia Pardo, M. P., Cabanes Iranzo, C., Ceron Madrigal, J. J., Sancho Castillo, S., Rochina, M. J., & Prado Gasco, V. J. (2018). Does Music Therapy Improve Anxiety and Depression in Alzheimer's Patients?