Publication:

Live music therapy in waiting area of intensive care units: a novel concept for betterment of close relatives of ICU patients

Family members of ICU patients experience high levels of stress and anxiety. We explored a novel concept of live music therapy for relatives of ICU patients. Weekly 1-hour sessions of live music therapy consisting of devotional songs and prayers were performed in waiting area of ICU in a tertiary care hospital. Responses of 100 first degree relatives of ICU patients were documented using an 8-item questionnaire. 69% of the subjects rated live music therapy sessions as “excellent”; 50% of the subjects reported that they felt “excellent” after a single session. Such sessions were reported as a felt need by 77% of the subjects; 92% of the subjects reported that there were high chances that they would recommend such sessions in the hospital in future. In our study, we found our concept to be feasible, acceptable and highly appreciated as well as encouraged by first degree relatives of ICU patients.