Development of Dignity Individual Music Therapy Program “Your Important Melody”

Abstract

Introduction: Although spiritual care is one of the challenges of palliative care, structured interventions are limited. We report on the original development of the Dignity Individual Music Therapy Program (DMT) incorporating the elements of Dignity Therapy (DT) for spiritual care. Program: Developed by a research group including a music therapist based on the experience of DT. Procedure: First, the patient selects important songs based on questions such as "When did you live the most in your life? Are there any songs that remind you of those days?" Next, a music therapist plays the music on a piano in a hospital room (individual concert). Encourage the patient to talk freely about their thoughts and life episodes after the performance. Discussion: Patients who have performed DMT have been very well received. Because it is a structured program, it can be implemented in various places. The utility and feasibility of spiritual care will be investigated.