Impact of Massage Therapy and Music Therapy on the Quality of Life of Hospice Patients

Impact of Massage Therapy and Music Therapy on the Quality of Life of Hospice Patients

This is a cohort study where subjects will receive either massage therapy or music therapy interventions to evaluate their impact on hospice patients.

There is growing evidence that integrative therapies such as massage therapy and music therapy can be effective therapeutic tools for relief of pain and non-pain symptoms in hospice and palliative care patients. Massage and music therapies can provide comfort, relaxation, and improve quality of life for patients. The investigator's primary aim is to compare the effects of massage and music therapies on the quality of life of hospice patients. The overall goal is to further improve pain, depression, anxiety, and poor well-being or quality of life in hospice patients through the use of integrative therapies, specifically massage and music therapies, as add-on to standard hospice clinical care. Patients will be assigned to either the massage therapy or music therapy cohort. Questionnaires will be utilized before and after each massage or music therapy intervention to quantify symptom and quality of life levels.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient is currently enrolled in Mayo Clinic Hospice
• Age 18 years or older
• ESAS-r scores of 5 or greater on pain, depression, anxiety, or best well-being (clinical assessment by hospice nursing staff)
• Patient or caregiver must be able to participate in brief interviews and complete questionnaires (verbally or physically)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients that would not be able to get a massage due to complexity of medical care including complex wound and multiple drains