Conditions of music provision for nursing home residents: A nationwide cross-sectional survey

Background: Music activities enhance residents’ enjoyment and adaptation to nursing homes. Community music therapy promotes human relationships and a pleasant living environment. However, there have been few comprehensive studies focusing on the conditions of music provision. The aim of this study was to identify the conditions, problems, and staff recognition of the effects of music provision to improve its use in nursing homes through music therapy, music activities, and the concept of community music therapy based on a nationwide cross-sectional survey. Method: An anonymous questionnaire was mailed to a total of 517 randomly selected nursing homes. Questions collected data on demographic characteristics; the planners and providers of music; objectives/ways/evaluation of music provision; respondents’ recognition of the effects of music; and conditions of music activity training. We divided the respondents into music therapy, music activity, and no music groups. Pearson’s chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used to identify differences in demographics and staff recognition among the three groups. Among the results with significant differences, the items of continuous variables were analyzed using the Steel-Dwass test, and the items of the chi-square test were further analyzed using residual analysis. Results: We collected a total of 96 completed questionnaires. Music therapy or music activity was provided by 80.2% of nursing homes. Around 50% of the nursing homes that provided music therapy had a music therapist as a planner and provider. Care workers were most often the planners and providers. The rate of evaluation of music provision was approximately 10%- 30%. The recognition of “increased staff intimacy with residents” was significantly lower in the no music group among the three groups in residual analysis (p<0.05), and was approximately 30% less than in the music activity group. Only 6.3% of the nursing homes provided music activity training. Conclusions: The findings of the present study suggested that while promoting the cultivation of music therapists, education of staff in music activities should be developed.