A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Music Therapy on Elderly Residing in Selected Geriatric Homes, Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu, India

The number of elderly in the developing countries has been growing at a Phenomenal rate, in 1990 the population of 60 years and above in the developing Countries exceeded that in the developed countries. According to present indications, most of this growth will take place in developing countries and over half of it will be in Asia, with the two major population giants of Asia, namely India and China contributing a significant proportion of this growing elderly (1). The elderly population aged 70 and above which was only 8 million in 1961 rose to 21 million in 1991 and to 29 million in 2001 (2). At the same time, due to urbanization and industrialization the elderly are forced to stay in geriatric homes. In geriatric homes more than half of the elderly are suffering from bio physical problems compared to the elderly residing in the community. Mortality rates will be higher among geriatric which is included in the vulnerable group by the year 2020, mainly due to bio physical problems especially cardiac and respiratory illnesses. The respiratory rate is considered as one of the most accessible and important indications of the general condition of a patient. Those problems can be prevented by recent trends in the intervention which includes complimentary therapies especially music therapy. To assess the effect of music therapy on elderly suffering from bio physical problems, who are residing in selected geriatric homes and to associate the effect with selected demographic variables were the objectives. The study was conducted in Little Drops old age home (experimental group), and Little Angles old age home (control group), Chennai, Tamil Nadu. A Quasi experimental design Pre-test/Post-test Control Group was used. Elderly samples of 101 in experimental group and 100 in control group were selected. Purposive sampling technique was used in selecting the samples. Inclusion criteria were followed, as the samples that were able to hear the music by conducting whisper test. Pre assessment of checking respiratory rate was done before the intervention of administration of music therapy. It was administered to the participants who were included in listening to a predesigned instrumental music based on raga Malkauns, for the duration of 22 minutes at a specified time in the evening for a period of 30 days. The collected data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The study results revealed that, there is a significant relationship between the effect of music therapy and the increased respiratory rate of the elderly, also showed that female gender, married people, people interested in games and people walking had statistically significant reduction in respiratory rate, than their counterparts. The study concludes that training in the field of geriatrics and gerontology for Para professionals in counseling the elderly including music therapy beneficial effects on the problems of the elderly.