These pages provide access to resources and literature relevant to the practice of palliative care for music therapists. All Australian music therapists are registered with the Australian Association of Music Therapy Inc. and are known as Registered Music Therapists (RMT).

Music therapy is the creative and professionally informed use of music in a therapeutic relationship with people identified as needing physical, psychosocial, or spiritual help, or with people aspiring to experience further self-awareness, enabling increased life satisfaction. The music therapist offers patients, and occasionally their visitors and carers, opportunities to creatively experience a wide range of live and Pre-recorded musical activities or ‘methods’. Music therapists focus on the therapeutic process rather than the musical products of sessions. The musical elements (melody, harmony, rhythm, tempo, instrumentation, and volume) and evolving therapeutic relationship provide the foundation for altered thoughts, or affective, physiological, or transcendental sensations congruent with improved psychosocial adjustment and symptom alleviation. [1]

Role in palliative care
This information will help you to find out more about working in palliative care. It may include narratives from those working in the area, descriptions of the role, or why the position is important.

• Hartley NA. On a personal note: a music therapist's reflections on working with those who are living with a terminal illness. J Palliat Care. 2001 Autumn;17(3):135-41
• The Calvary Healthcare Bethlehem website (Victoria) has an extensive section about music therapy
• A transcript from ‘The World Today’, a radio program broadcast around Australia (ABC Local Radio.) features an interview with a music therapist who works with the terminally ill
• The Music Council of Australia has information on music therapy

Palliative care education and training
There are different ways to develop your knowledge and skills in palliative care. Web based learning modules, short courses and specialist palliative care courses and training are offered in many organisations and universities. Further information can be found on the Education pages of CareSearch. 

The Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach (PEPA) is an initiative under the National Palliative Care Program. It is a supported multidisciplinary course with work placements, offered across the country funded until 2010.

Research
Many health professionals may be interested in looking at palliative care research questions in their area of speciality. This may be work that is planned for the future. Any palliative care professional, regardless of discipline, is able to access the CareSearch Research Data Management System (RDMS), a tool developed to support research in palliative care

Resources

• Australian Music Therapy Association
• Palliative Care Victoria has a special interest group for music therapists

Palliative care links and information
Palliative Care Australia is the peak national organisation representing the interests and aspirations of all who share the ideal of quality care at the end-of-life for all. It has produced the following policy documents:

• Standards for providing quality palliative care for all Australians
• Palliative care service provision in Australia: a planning guide
• A guide to palliative care service development: A population based approach.

The Department of Health and Ageing website has a palliative care section.

Related CareSearch pages
What is palliative care?
Clinical practice
Professional groups
Professional considerations

References

1. O’Callaghan, C. (2004). Music therapy in palliative care. In G. Hanks, N. MacDonald, N. Chen, & K. Colman (Eds.). The Oxford textbook of palliative medicine (RD ed., pp. 1041-1046). Oxford: OP.

This page was created on 27 October 2008
Last updated 22June 2010