OBJECTIVES: Patients hospitalized with a life-limiting illness, along with their loved ones, frequently experience anxiety, stress, and pain. Legacy building through storytelling and music may alleviate emotional strain and provide comfort. Musical Rounds is a novel music medicine program designed to reduce distress and support legacy building for adult patients receiving palliative care and their loved ones. METHODS: This multisite, mixed-methods, pre-post feasibility study was conducted across 3 hospitals in California, USA. Participants engaged in live bedside recording sessions in which personal stories were shared with real-time musical improvisation provided by a clinician-musician. Afterward, participants received a personalized edited recording combining voice and improvised music. Pain, stress, anxiety, and comfort were assessed before and after each session using a 0-10 numeric rating scale. Perceived mood changes were assessed through directed qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: = .004). Directed content analysis indicated perceived mood improvement in 59% (47/80) of patients and 68% (30/44) of loved ones. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Musical Rounds, a personalized music and storytelling session for hospitalized patients with life-limiting illness and their loved ones, was associated with lower self-reported stress, pain (patients only), and anxiety, and higher comfort and perceived mood across 3 hospitals. Findings demonstrate the feasibility and suggest potential benefits of music medicine-supported legacy building in palliative care. Controlled studies with independent assessors are needed to further evaluate efficacy.
Ambler et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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