Carol J. Spears, MS, CMP: No financial relationships to disclose
Key Message: Learn how to integrate live therapeutic music (LTM) into your hospice interdisciplinary team to improve quality of care. LTM supports psychological, emotional and physical care goals. Certified Music Practitioners (CMPs)® provide LTM directly to individual patients, personalized to support their in-the-moment needs. LTM also helps relieve clinician stress and burnout.
Abstract: A primary challenge for practitioners providing end-of-life care in hospice is helping patients navigate their emotional and psychological experiences and physical pain. Many available interventions, including pharmaceuticals often do not fully support patients. Palliative efforts may lead to clinician burnout (1). Live therapeutic music (LTM) utilizes intrinsic healing elements of acoustic music when provided by a trained Certified Music Practitioner (CMP). LTM as part of an interdisciplinary approach, complements the goals of conventional hospice best practices to improve quality of life and care. It has been shown to decrease pain, anxiety, nausea, shortness of breath, depression, and increase feelings of well-being (2). Hospice providers may experience reduced stress through LTM (3). Therapeutic music is a low-cost, effective addition to hospice best practices reflecting personalized quality care.
Presentation illustrates benefits of and how to integrate live therapeutic music into an interdisciplinary hospice care team. Defines live therapeutic music, how it differs from music therapy and assists the clinicians’ quality of care goals for patients, and supports clinicians’ wellbeing.
Topics addressed through interactive discussion and potential demonstration of live therapeutic harp music: What is live therapeutic music? • Brief history/growth over 31 years • Differs from Music Therapy Research (quantitative and qualitative) Hospice patients’ challenges that LTM can help support, e.g.: • Physical pain/suffering • Fear of pain/the dying process • Emotional pain • Depression • Anxiety • Sleep disturbance LTM for special patient needs for pain management • Sensitivity/intolerance to analgesics • Decrease in pain control from tolerance to long-term analgesics • Patients who refuse opioids Patient’s families • A safe environment to express emotions • Bereavement support/memorials Clinicians • Emotional impact and burnout • Team support group meetings Integrating LTM into your practice, e.g.: • Michigan Medicine University of Michigan • Moffit Cancer Center • Hospice/palliative care team video testimonials
References: (1) Woo JA, Maytal G, Stern TA. Clinical challenges to the delivery of end-of-life care. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 2006;8(6):367-72. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1764519/#:~:text=These%20challenges%20include%20physical%20pain,care%20of%20the%20terminally%20ill. Accessed July 10, 2025.
(2) Peng CS, Baxter K, Lally KM. Music intervention as a tool in Improving patient experience in palliative care. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2019;36(1):45-49. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30045627/ Accessed July 10, 2025.
(3) Bittel Cheryl L, Beckman Charles, Carrega Joanna. Impact of live therapeutic music on stress levels among healthcare workers in COVID-19 critical care units. Interprofessional J Healthc & Res 2021;1(2):45–54. Available from: https://ir.ung.edu/work/sc/5f05b0da-ef9f-49c3-8744-58b0ff00e35c/reader/3d70f3c5-7792-4cb8-acd9-eb629c59a6dd Accessed July 10, 2025.
Learning Objectives:
understand the emotional, physical and psychological benefits of integrating live therapeutic music provided by a trained therapeutic musician into their practice, supplementing current standards of care for end-of-life patients, families and provider wellness.
find available opportunities to bring the complementary support of live therapeutic music into their interdisciplinary hospice team.
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