Music for critical patients admitted to the ICU

• Ensure the physical and emotional well-being of patients.
• Improve the quality of life of the participants.
• Encourage the presence and participation of family members and health personnel in the ICU
• Reduce the anxiety and stress of patients, family members and unit staff, facilitating emotional expression
• Promote positive changes in the moods of patients, family members and health personnel, making them an active part of the sessions.
• Generate a positive environment for family patients and professionals.
• Assess the effect of Music Therapy on the physiological responses of patients.

Fundación Diversión Solidaria develops music therapy sessions in the intensive care units of the University Hospital of Torrejón in Madrid and the University Hospital of Badajoz. These interventions are not only aimed at medium and long-stay patients, but also at family members and the health team.

Once a week two music therapists come to these centers for about an hour and a half. Individualized environment sessions are carried out for approximately 20 minutes per patient, and always under medical supervision. At all times, the family is previously informed of this process and their consent is requested to carry out the intervention.

With all the information previously collected at a medical and psychological level and, taking into account the specific moment that the patient and the family are experiencing, it is decided which is the best intervention to perform:

• Instrumentation of songs, with guitar or small piano
• Instrumental improvisations: melodic or percussion.
• Vocal improvisations: with or without text.
• Specific songs.
• Activities involving movement or body language.
• Music to induce sleep.
• Creation of songs or musical relaxation, among others.

The intervention is always carried out with live music and not with recorded music due to the scientific backing it has. This technique is called "Live Music Audition". Different studies compare values ​​such as anxiety, vigor, tension, fatigue, etc. before and after a Music Therapy session with recorded music or live music. The changes in these values ​​are much more significant when the session is with live music. With Live Music, the Music Therapist interacts with the patient, being instantly aware of every change that occurs in him.

Carrying out individualized music therapy sessions with patients admitted to the ICU of the University Hospital of Torrejón in Madrid and in the ICU of the University Hospital of Badajoz with the aim of promoting positive changes not only in patients, but also in relatives and health personnel of the units.

110 patients admitted to the ICU of the University Hospital of Torrejón in Madrid and in the ICU of the University Hospital of Badajoz will receive music therapy sessions.

Fundación Diversión Solidaria (web)