Music Thearpy

Music therapy is the prescribed use of music and musical interventions in order to restore, maintain, and improve emotional, physical, physiological, and spiritual health as well as a person's well being.

Music Therapy facilitates the creative process of moving toward wholeness in the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual self in areas such as: independence, freedom to change, adaptability, balance and integration. The implementation of Music Therapy involves interactions of the therapist, client and music. These interactions initiate and sustain musical and non-musical change that may or may not be observable. As the musical elements of rhythm, melody and harmony are elaborated across time, the therapist and client can develop relationships, which optimize the quality of life. It is believe that Music Therapy makes a unique contribution to wellness of a person, because man's response to music is so unique. Using music to establish a trusting relationship, the music therapist then works to improve the clients physical and mental functioning through carefully structured activities. Examples can include singing, listening, playing instruments, composition, moving to music, and music and imagery exercises.

The overall aim of Music Therapy is to actively engage individuals in their own growth, development and behavioral change and for them to transfer musical and nonmusical skills to other aspects of their life, bringing them from isolation into active participation in the world. In San Antonio studies have shown that music therapy trigger memory and reality awareness in patients with Alzheimer's disease and helps improve the mobility of stroke patients and people with Parkinson's disease. It's so effective that music therapy is reimbursable under certain conditions of Medicare. One study done by six major universities found that teaching healthy elderly people to play instruments decreased their anxiety, loneliness, and depression. In hospitals, anxious patients often have elevated blood pressure, heartbeat, and respiratory rates, placing them at greater risk for complications. For an anxious patient, music can have a comparable effect as taking five milligrams of Valium. When music plays in the operating room, Dr. Schwartz says, "Anesthesia requirements drop from 10 to 20 percent." As a part of the cable TV system, music can be accessed anywhere in the complex, including operating