Music therapy in palliative care at Bethesda Hospital

Music therapy offers patients and their relatives a new way of meeting and organising their time during the farewell phase of life. It promotes mental and physical well-being and supports them in coping with illness and saying goodbye.

Music therapy enables direct access to feelings and can restore the balance between body and soul. As a non-verbal medium, music can help to communicate the unspoken, symbolic and feelings that are difficult to put into words through voice, sound and rhythm. Music therapy creates meaning, hope, comfort and confidence, conveys peace and forgiveness as well as compassion. It promotes a feeling of security and provides support.

Music therapy is a resource-orientated treatment method and is based on the needs of the patient. In active music therapy, patients play alone or in co-operation with the music therapist. In receptive music therapy, patients listen and receive. The music therapist plays selected instruments that positively stimulate the physical, sensory and communicative levels; spiritual experience is encouraged. Music creates an atmosphere that enables deep relaxation and letting go; it can have a positive effect in pain therapy. Relatives and close friends can be involved if desired.

Music therapy is based on the assumption that everyone is musical. Previous knowledge is therefore not necessary.

If you are interested, please contact us directly on T 061 319 75 81 or at any time via the medical and nursing team.