The Effect of Music in Alzheimer's Patients

The Effect of Music on Decreasing of Adaptation Difficulty in Alzheimer's Patients: Randomized Controlled Study

This study was randomized controlled study conducted to determine the effect of Nihavent theme on reducing adjustment difficulties in Alzheimer's patients. The study was carried out with 30 patients.15 patients constituted the experimental group and 15 patients formed the control group. Before the application, the scale was administered to both groups through face-to-face interviews. The patients in the experimental group were informed about the music session in advance.Instrumental songs in nihavent theme were played with the sound system to the experimental group. The sessions were lasted 12 weeks in total and there were two sessions per week, and each session took approximately 50 minutes to complete. While no intervention was performed for the patients in the control group. One week after the last music session, the the scale was re-administered to both groups.

Adaptation levels of Alzheimer's patients should be determined before planning nursing interventions. Institutions should support healthcare personnel in organizing music sessions for patients. It is believed that further studies examining the effect of the Nihavent theme in decreasing adaptation difficulty in Alzheimer's patients should be conducted with larger sample groups. The effects of verbal and non-verbal music on Alzheimer's patients should also be evaluated and compared to gain further insight on this important matter.

Before the application, the "Descriptive Characteristics Data Form" and "Assessment Scale of Adaptation Difficulty in Elderly" were administered to the experimental group by the investigator through face-to-face interviews. A cd containing songs in Nihavent theme (instrumental), computer and sound system were used during the application. The patients in the experimental group were informed about the music session in advance. The sessions lasted 12 weeks in total and there were two sessions per week (Monday and Wednesday), and each session took approximately 50 minutes to complete. One week after the last music session (end of 12th week), the "Assessment Scale of Adaptation Difficulty in the Elderly" was re-administeredto the experimental group .

This scale was developed by Şişman et al. in 2016 in order to determine the adaptation of elderly individuals, and its validity and reliability were determined. Chronbach alpha internal consistency coefficient was found to be 0.93. It is a likert-type scale consisting of 24 questions. The answers to each item were determined as 0 points for "never", 1 point for "some", 2 points for "quite a lot" and 3 points for "a lot". The scores obtained from the items in the scoring of the scale are calculated by summing and dividing by the number of questions. The average score that can be obtained from the scale is 0 points as the lowest and 3 points at the highest. As the individual's score from the scale decreases, the level of compliance increases.

Inclusion Criteria: 18-90 age range Were conscious able to communicate and active Exclusion Criteria: Change in their diagnosis, medications, consciousness, and/or drug dose During the study period they a regression in emotional state (crying, sadness) Those with complex diseases such as cancer