The effect of individualized music on agitation for home-dwelling persons with dementia

Abstract

Agitation is a common behavioral problem in patients with dementia. Music intervention has been highly encouraged to control agitation because it is relatively easy to conduct and cost-effective. However, there are no studies investigating the effect of music intervention on agitation for home-dwelling patients with dementia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of individualized music on agitation in patients with dementia who live at home. A quasi-experimental design using convenience sampling was used to test fifteen home-dwelling patients with dementia in Iowa. Subjects participated in the music intervention for 30 minutes prior to peak agitation time, two times a week, for two weeks; followed by the no music intervention periods for two weeks. The process was repeated one more time. Family caregivers played subjects' preferred using a music CD and CD player at their homes. Subjects' preferred music was determined using the Assessment of Personal Music Preference (APMP). Agitation level was measured using the Modified Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (M-CMAI); and pain level was measured using the Modified Pain Assessment in the Dementing Elderly (M-PADE) pre-intervention, during-intervention, post-intervention. The agitation level and pain level were also measured during the no music intervention weeks. All data were entered into SAS program. One-Factor linear model with repeated measures was used to test the eight hypotheses. Mean agitation levels while listening to music were significantly lower than before and after listening to the music. Mean pain levels after listening to music were significantly lowered compared to baseline. There was no significant difference in agitation and pain level between the four weeks of music intervention periods and the four weeks of no intervention.