How Therapeutic Music Elevates the Hospice Care Experience

In our final stages of life, every moment matters.

From end-of-life goals to around-the-clock comfort, the right hospice care can offer peace to patients and loved ones alike. Through our Hospice Life Enriching Services at Knute Nelson, we’ve seen the difference of tailored care firsthand. With the support of healing touch, massage therapy, therapeutic music, and beyond, patients enjoy an elevated care experience centered on quality and compassion.

In today’s article, we’re focusing on the key benefits of therapeutic music from the lens of Jackson Burns, a therapeutic musician with Knute Nelson Hospice. 

Building Connections that Count

Whether through a favorite gospel song or a familiar tune, therapeutic music connects patients to a time and place of comfort and familiarity. No matter if your loved one is receiving hospice care at one of our state-of-the-art facilities or in the comfort of their home, live music can rekindle connections from anywhere.

During one experience, Jackson was given the freedom to play any song. What happened next was a coincidence he would always remember: “It turned out that what I chose to play was the song that they (patient and his wife) danced to at their wedding.”

Supporting Physical and Mental Wellness

Therapeutic music is shown to offer a wide range of benefits including stress relief, blood pressure stabilization, improved mental clarity, and more. Throughout hospice, these benefits culminate in improved symptom management and stability alongside our high everyday standards of care.

When asked about the connection between his therapeutic music services and the hospice care team as a whole, here’s what Jackson had to say: “Everybody just really works together to provide the best experience possible… I've seen that firsthand.”

Offering a Sense of Joy

When unaddressed, hospice care patients can quickly find themselves in a disoriented mental fog underscored by confusion. This can be exacerbated by neurologic disorders like Alzheimer’s.

Shown to improve focus and recall familiar emotions, therapeutic music instills joy in loved ones. As patients hum, sing along, or even move to the rhythm, Jackson has noticed the difference firsthand: “When you walk away, you just have this feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that you helped."

Aligning with Our Culture of Compassion

Despite providing holistic benefits, therapeutic music is just one element of our Hospice Life Enriching Services at Knute Nelson. Thanks to talented and experienced therapeutic musicians like Jackson, these services align seamlessly with our culture of compassion.

Here are Jackson’s thoughts on his experience as a whole: “The benefit that I enjoy the most is the freedom to work the way that serves my patients the best… There's also a faith element amongst the staff here that is unlike anywhere else, and that helps in our daily work.”

Closing Remarks

Through Knute Nelson Hospice, we empower loved ones with the peace and closure they deserve after a life well lived. Our therapeutic music is just one way that we uphold our commitment to best-in-class care.

We invite you to explore each of our Hospice Life Enriching Services. From there, we encourage you to get in touch by calling (320)335-8690 or fill out a form for more information about our approach to hospice care.

We look forward to serving you and are here for any questions you may have!