DOES HOSPICE NEED A MUSICAL THERAPY?

The article presents the analysis of scientific research on the use of music therapy in palliative medicine, published in 2016-2018 in journals indexed in science-based databases Scopus and WoS. The analysis shows that music is an effective complement and sometimes an alternative to psychotropic and analgesic drugs, which are widely used in palliative care. The main mechanisms of the music impact on the human body are mediated through the central and autonomic nervous system, due to which it is successfully used to ease the pain syndrome, depression and sleep disorders. Music therapy has established itself as a safe and effective method of suppressing pathological adrenergic influences. This effect increases the oxygen saturation in blood and helps hemodynamic stabilization. Music has a particular value as a means to alleviate the suffering of a dying person. The popularization of the accumulated positive experience of applying music therapy to improve the quality of life of incurable patients and its wide introduction into the work of palliative care units will help to increase the effectiveness of medical care in hospices.