Authors (including presenting author) :
Wong TC(1), Kong LK(2), Poon CY(3), Lam WH(4), Yiu WS(4)
Affiliation :
(1)Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, (2)Kowloon Hospital, (3)Princess Margaret Hospital, (4)Yan Chai Hospital
Introduction :
Aggressive behaviours frequent present in the patients with dementia, while the symptoms are generally more frequent and severe during hospitalization than in community-dwelling. Caring the patients with dementia can be challenging for the health care professionals since the behaviours would interfere the delivery of care. The existing treatment strategy for patients with aggressive behaviours mainly focused on pharmacological approach and physical restraint. However, these treatments would lead to negative impacts to patients. Therefore, non-pharmacological treatment, such as music therapy, may be an appropriate management.
Objectives :
The project aims to (1) explore the effects of music therapy on aggressive behaviour among patient with dementia; and (2) examine the feasibility of delivering music therapy to patients with dementia, in local medical ward.
Methodology :
Pre-test post-test was employed in this project. Participants were recruited from a medical ward in Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital with dementia and onset of aggressive behaviours during hospitalization. The music intervention was delivered to participants by pocket music player individually, which last for around 30-minute every day until discharge. The songs were selected referring to literature review of a local study which was studying behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. The aggression level of participants was assessed by the Rating Scale for Aggressive Behaviours in the Elderly (RAGE) periodically in order to measure the trend of individual aggressive level.
Result & Outcome :
The intervention was implemented from January to April 2019. 4 male participants were eligible for the intervention and 1 participant dropped out due to discharge before the post-intervention RAGE assessment. Their length of hospitalization were 10 to 40 days (mean ± SD, 26 ± 12.33). The music intervention was delivered to them from 3 to 29 days. The aggression in all participants were improved, which individual RAGE score decreased gradually after the initiation of music therapy. The final individual RAGE scores got 15.2% to 50%, mean 33.1%, lower comparing with each baseline.
This project show the feasibility of music intervention deliver to patients with dementia clinically. Moreover, the result suggests that music therapy may beneficial in reducing the aggression among patients with dementia in medical wards.
