Shakira had a pressconference on May 19th in Hotel Santo Mauro (Madrid, Spain).

Más que reggaeton, Shakira prefiere llamarlo "shaketon", porque "es el nuevo ritmo llegado de Puerto Rico, pero hecho a mi manera. Me gusta porque nada más oirlo te sientes obligada a bailar".

More than reggaeton, Shakira prefers to call it "shaketon", because "it's the new rhythm from Puerto Rico, but done in my way. I like it because it makes you want to dance."

Y bien que lo baila con Alejandro Sanz en el vídeo de esta canción, de alto contenido erótico. "Me preocupaba que fuese un erotismo demasiado explícito, pero cuando lo vio mi madre le gustó y dejó de preocuparme", dice riéndose.

About the erotic scenes in La Tortura video: "I was worried that the content was too explicitly erotic, but my mother saw the video and she liked it and I stopped worrying".

"En Colombia hay más de un millón de niños desplazados por la violencia, la tercera tragedia mundial tras Sudán y Congo, y nadie hace nada", se lamenta.

"There are more than million children in Colombia displaced because of the violence, it's the world's third largest tragedy after Sudan and Congo and nobody does anything".

Entre otros temas interpretará 'La tortura', que canta en el disco con Alejandro Sanz. 'Hemos hablado de hacerla juntos, pero no se si va a poder ser esta vez, porque no es fácil que coincidan dos artistas'.

About singing with Alejandro Sanz at Madrid 2012 Olympic Games bid event: "We have talked about doing it together, but I don't know if it will happen this time, because it's not easy (to schedule it).

"Afortunada o desafortunadamente, ya soy una adulta -dice. Las ventas no cambian nada. Soy la misma vendiendo trece millones que diez copias entre mis vecinos".

Fortunately or unfortunately, I am now an adult. The sales do not change anything. I am the same after seling 13 million copies like I was after selling 10 copies to my neighbours.

En la portada de esta 'fijación' sale vestida de madonna ("de madre universal", subraya), sujetando un niño entre los brazos al que, según la idea original debía amamantar. "Pero -explica- no aparece el pecho porque al niño parece ser que yo no le interesaba".

Sólo conoce otra droga además del amor y de la música, "los chocolates" y asegura que no se irá de Madrid sin probar "una buena dorada a la espalda".

On the cover of the album Shakira appears dressed like madonna ("the universal mother", Shakira emphasizes), holding a baby in her arms and according to the original idea she was supposed to nurse the baby. "But - Shakira explains - the breast does not appear because it seems that the baby is not interested".

Shakira knows another drug in addition to the love and music - the chocolates and assures that she will not leave Madrid without tasting "dorada a la espalda" (fish).

Shakira analiza su metamorfosis en clave futbolera: "La diferencia es que ahora la cancha es mucho más grande, pero el oficio, que es dar patadas al balón, no ha cambiado". Su sin vivir artístico, confiesa, es el mismo: "Mi preocupación surge a la hora de crear las canciones. Una vez el disco está cocinado, el resto me importa menos".

Shakira analyzes her metamorphosis with football terms: "the difference is that now the field is much larger, but the task, to kick the ball, has not changed".

She confesses that "My preoccupation arises when I create the songs. Once the album is "cooked", the rest concerns me less".

Shakira's Colombian crusade

(Thursday May 26, 2005 10:34 PM)

BOGOTA (AFP) - Colombian pop singer Shakira brought star power to an impoverished Colombian town to visit children benefiting from her "Bare Feet" foundation.

"I witnessed a great human wealth," the blond bombshell said of her visit to Quibdo, an impoverished town 650 kilometers west of Bogota.

"I saw children who have great potential to become productive people for society," said Shakira , who is also in Colombia to promote her new album, "Fijacion Oral" (Spanish for "Oral Fixation" ).

Shakira , 28, said she was "very moved" by her visit to Quibdo.

Her "Bare Feet" foundation finances programs to combat malnutrition and school truancy in Colombia's poorest areas.

She arrived in Colombia Wednesday with her manager but without her Argentine boyfriend Antonio de la Rua . She will head to the United States Saturday.

Shakira will hold a press conference Friday to present her album, which will go on sale in 60 countries in the first week of June. "Fijacion Oral" includes duets with Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz , Argentine rocker Gustavo Ceratti and Mexican guitar virtuoso Carlos Santana .

COVER STORY: SHAKIRA

Shakira has ushered us into the brave new world of her music; a sound often described as a refreshing blast of off-center rock that is fused together with her native Arabic and Latin beats. "I am a fusion. That's my persona. I'm a fusion between black and white, between pop and rock, between cultures - between my Lebanese father and my mother's Spanish blood, the Colombian folklore and Arab dance I love and American music," she says in TIME magazine.

Born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll in the coastal city of Barranquilla, Colombia, she is the youngest of eight children. Her name, translated from Arabic means, "woman full of grace."

At the age of eight she started writing her own songs, in Spanish, and began winning local and national talent contests by the age of ten. Now, with five released albums, Shakira has won two Latin Grammys, a Grammy, and was named the Latin Female Artist of the Year at the 1998 World Music Awards. She was also designated the official goodwill ambassador by the Colombian government, and granted an audience in the Vatican by the Pope.

However, as she pursued her dreams she was constantly challenged to make decisions that would define who she was and who she would become.

Her first album, Magia (Magic), was composed of songs she wrote as a child, and was released when the rising star turned thirteen years old. Two years later she released Peligro (Danger). Shakira then took a break from music, graduated from high school and then released another album, Pies Descalzos (Barefeet), at the age of sixteen. The record was a smashing success, selling close to four million copies internationally. The budding artist toured for almost two solid years, performing to audiences worldwide.

"Shakira's music has a personal stamp that doesn't look like anyone else's…"

Shakira had always written her own music, but despite her success, her label wanted her to explore more commercial avenues and to stick to the light pop format of music for her next record.

However, in defending who she was, Shakira refused to abandon her cultural influences and insisted on recording her very own brand of music. Laced with Mexican mariachi, Middle Eastern grooves and soulful Spanish lyrics, Donde Estan los Ladrones? (Where are the Thieves?), reached new heights. The culturally rich album reached the No.1 spot on Billboard's Latin 50.

Acknowledging her achievements, countryman and Nobel Prize winning author Gabriel Garcia Marques says, "Shakira's music has a personal stamp that doesn't look like anyone else's and no one can sing or dance like her, at whatever age, with such an innocent sensuality, one that seems to be of her own invention."

But there was still more to be done. Shakira was determined to introduce her unique sound, style and culture to the English-speaking world. However, writing songs in English was a challenge. "I prayed and asked God to send me a good song today, and I remember I started writing the song [Objection] a couple of hours after. I wrote the music and lyrics at the same time, and when that happens it's really magical to me." With the completion of this first song Shakira knew that she could write ten more, so she packed up her loved ones and set up portable studios in rural Uruguay. "I had to find a way to express my ideas and my feelings, my day-to-day stories in English. So I bought a couple of rhyming dictionaries, read poetry, and authors like Leonard Cohen and Walt Whitman," she said.

In 2001, the yodeling diva released her break-through English language album, Laundry Service, which debuted at number 15 on the Billboard Top 200. Laundry Service has been proclaimed as extraordinary work, as Shakira translates her Latin American sensibility into a new language.

"…because my father is of 100% Lebanese descent, I am devoted to Arabic tastes and sounds."

It is clear that this budding North American star is proud to become a cultural ambassador, incorporating her heritage into her public life as a singer. "I was born and raised in Colombia, but I listened to bands like Led Zeppelin, the Cure, the Police, the Beatles and Nirvana," she says. "I was so in love with that rock sound but at the same time because my father is of 100% Lebanese descent, I am devoted to Arabic tastes and sounds."

However, few performers have been able to truly retain their unique styles once they are exposed to the wrath of the American pop world. The brutality of the market often sends foreign stars like Robbie Williams back from where they came from. Or, performers end up changing their image to fit the popular American 'look'.

Many see Shakira's music as a strong cultural statement. There are some, however, who have called the Colombian native a sellout - an overly ambitious diva that dyed her naturally dark locks blonde in order to fit into the U.S. market.

"I plan to keep on being the same artist, with the same musical language, just in a different spoken language."

"I know my Latin people find this difficult," the singer admits to Teen People. "And I want [my success] to be good news to my country. But its typical that when you see somebody who is so close to you growing, you feel that the very word 'growing' is synonymous with leaving," and adds, "my hair is a coincidence. I dyed it more than two and a half years ago."

"I plan to keep on being the same artist, with the same musical language, just in a different spoken language," says Shakira to TIME magazine. "It's all still coming from my real feelings, my real-life experiences."

She hopes that Laundry Service, helps to convince skeptics that her career can be spread from one country to the next, and translated from one tongue to another without changing its essence. "If you check the subject of my songs, most of them talk about my own experiences and feelings and what I was actually going through in my life," she said.

By weaving her cultural heritage into the fabric of her music, Shakira has introduced her audience to a new world - one she is proud of as it defines who she is.

Rising Star - Shakira - Brief Article

Shakira

Age: 24

Hometown: Barranquilla, Colombia

Her sign: Aquarius

Claim to fame: She's a Grammy Award--winning singer who's said millions of records worldwide.

Next big thing: The release of her first English-language pop-rock album, Laundry Service.

Who knew? If she wasn't a singer, she'd be an anthropologist! "I have a passion for studying human beings. It's given me a greater understanding of the emotions I write about in my songs."

Her big break: "When I was 13, a family friend arranged for me to meet an executive from Sony Music Colombia in town. I went to his hotel and sang a song--which I had written--a cappella for him! A few days later I sang Madonna's 'Material Girl' in Spanish for more executives in Bogota. The next day I was signed by Sony. Now I work with Madonna's ex-manager!"

Listen for: Her single "Whenever Wherever." "It's about being far away from the love of your life. The line that says 'I would climb the Andes only to count the freckles on your body' is literally what I would do for my boyfriend."

Music Therapy Intervention and Techniques

There are many ways that music can be used to improve health and wellness, and address areas for improvement. Music therapy interventions are different depending on how they are delivered, for example live or recorded music; whether or not the therapist teaches you how to do an exercise and then lets you do it on your own, or if the therapist is present during the entire experience. Another way an intervention can be different is whether or not you are listening to and talking about your experiences with music, or if you are making music. Listening to music and talking about your experiences is sometimes referred to as a receptive intervention. Making music, either by singing or playing music that is already written, or creating new music through composing or improvising, is referred to as an interactive intervention.

Some common receptive interventions include:

Music-assisted relaxation

Using music for relaxation seems very natural, and many people do it instinctively. Listening to “Cool Jazz” or “Classical Pops” music is an easy way to unwind from a hectic day. Do an online search for music and relaxation and notice the multitude of compact disc recordings “specially compiled” to decrease stress and increase wellness. Certainly, music and healthcare research has demonstrated many benefits from listening to music and relaxing, such as decreasing stress and anxiety, regulating breathing, decreasing heart rate, and improving mood.

When teaching music and relaxation strategies, music therapists will begin by determining what music you find most preferable and relaxing. S/he will then have you either sit or lay down in a comfortable space. It is important to eliminate as many distractions as possible, so that your attention can be on the music and on the way your body responds to the relaxation exercise.

The music therapist will monitor the music to make sure it is effective in relaxing you. She may also pair music with relaxation instructions. Popular relaxation exercises include progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), which involves tensing and releasing major muscle groups. This relaxation is especially useful if you are so tense, you have forgotten what it feels like to be relaxed! There is some variation in PMR in that the muscle groups may change based on you current level of stress and the desired level of relaxation. It is possible to tense very small groups (for example hands and fingers) instead of larger groups of muscles (for example, arms to fingers).

Music and imagery

Another popular receptive music therapy intervention is combining music and imagery. Imagery is a process that uses the mind and imagination. It is much like daydreaming. There are many ways to combine music and imagery. Some music therapists use music as a backdrop to spoken imagery directions. Other MTs ask the patient to create imagery based on what they hear in the music, much like a movie soundtrack. Using music during imagery experiences help make the imagery more vivid. It also makes imagery easier to do.

Exercise/movement/dancing with music

Music therapists who treat individuals suffering from the after effects of stroke, head injury, or other neurological or physical disorders use rhythm in music to assist patients to speak and improve walking by making gait steadier and more even. At Colorado State University and Poudre Valley Hospital in Colorado Springs, music therapists and neuroscientists are using music to rehabilitate individuals with Parkinson’s disease and the after effects of stroke with amazing results. These music interventions are often carried out in tandem with physical therapists and occupational therapists. These same clinicians and researchers are looking at ways to help children with physical disabilities walk and become more independent.

Music Making

There are multiple ways to make music aside from formal performances in an auditorium. Matter of fact, it is not uncommon for people to become nervous at the mere thought of performing music in front of others. No worries though. Music making in music therapy isn’t necessarily about sounding good or the final product, many times it’s the process of making sounds reflective of feelings and struggles that are important in the therapeutic process.

Improvisation, or making up music as you go, is common in Jazz and some earlier periods of music. However, improvisation within a music therapy session will rarely sound like a Charlie Parker or Miles Davis improvisation. A majority of people who seek out music therapy don’t have extensive musical training, and none is needed.

During an improvisation session, the music therapist will often ask the client to consider a scene or emotion and then try to represent that scenario with sounds. The music therapist’s role is to support the client musically, by playing along. The instruments that are used in improvisation sessions vary greatly, but don’t be surprised to see drums, keyboards (pianos, xylophones and other mallet instruments), smaller hand held rhythm instruments, and the like.

Drumming, a specific type of improvisation has become popular in some areas of the country as a way to build community. There are some corporations that encourage drumming as a way to build solid management teams and increase work productivity. Some communities hold outdoor drumming sessions to encourage a sense of togetherness. Music therapists may also use drumming sessions for groups of individuals for similar purposes.

Singing is a wonderful way to improve several areas of being. If you consider what it takes to sing correctly (a good deep breath, good posture, relaxed jaw and shoulders) it makes sense that singing can also be used address therapeutic goals. Singing within music therapy sessions can take many forms. Private vocal lessons can help with correct speaking mechanics, relaxation, and self-confidence. Group singing can help with sound discrimination, team work, and improving overall quality of life.

Music Therapy with Older Adults

Approximately 15% of music therapists work with individuals living in nursing homes or other geriatric facilities. And 29% of music therapists work with mature adults and senior citizens. Historically, the aged has been one of the more common groups that music therapists have worked with. This makes sense, given that the U.S. population is getting older and they have more demanding healthcare needs than younger individuals.

Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease

If you walk into a nursing home during a music therapy session you may see what can only be described as amazing. Individuals who cannot remember loved ones, life long friends, or their place of birth, singing along with the music therapist. How is this possible? Why is it that they can remember nothing but words to a silly song? This phenomenon is by far one of the most amazing benefits of music therapy in the treatment of individuals with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. By some coincidence, the area of the brain that is responsible for remembering music is one of the last areas that is touched by Alzheimer’s disease and advanced forms of dementia. The fact that the elder still listen and enjoy music is why it used so frequently with the elderly.

According to the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health, dementia is a term that describes changes in the brain. Common symptoms of dementia are repeating questions, become lost in familiar places, having trouble following directions, and becoming disoriented about the time, people, and places. Sometimes people who are experiencing dementia forget to take care of their daily living activities, such as bathing, brushing their teeth, and eating. Alzheimer’s disease is a specific type of dementia.1 Scientists think approximately 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

The use of music therapy in the treatment and rehabilitation of adults with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has shown promising results. Common music therapy goals for patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease include improvements in mood, reminiscence and quality of life, and reductions in anxiety. Specific research results indicate that music therapy is useful for decreasing agitation and wandering in individuals with more advanced dementia and AD. Additionally, music therapy interventions can benefit caregivers in terms of increasing socialization, decreasing depression and sense of burden.

Stroke/Parkinson’s Disease and Physical Rehabilitation

Stroke patients and patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease are often involved in rehabilitation programs to help either rehabilitate or maintain levels of cognitive and physical functioning. Music therapy has become an integral part of rehabilitation programs, partly due to the benefits shown by researchers at Colorado State University.2 Music therapists, physical therapists and researchers at the Center for Biomedical Research in Music have been studying the benefits of music, specifically rhythm, on gait in Parkinson’s disease and stroke patients with amazing results. Gait training involves assisting patients relearning how to walk evenly, walking longer distances, and become stronger physically. This helps in reducing injuries from falls leading to more independence and a better quality of life.

Additionally, music therapy is useful in speech rehabilitation. Stroke patients have been able to relearn how to speak by singing useful phrases before they speak them. Singing has also been useful in helping Parkinson’s patients speak more clearly as their disease advances.3 Stroke patients also benefit from an intervention called “Melodic Intonation Therapy” to relearn useful phrases, which helps these patients state their needs and wishes.4 This particular treatment is most successful for individuals with expressive aphasia.

What is Music Therapy?

Music therapy specialists are a group of professionals who provide specific music experiences in order to enhance health. Music therapy techniques include opportunities to listen and make music based on individualized goals and treatment objectives.

What is Music Therapy used for?

Music therapy is an effective treatment in encouraging weight gain and self-regulation in premature infants, reducing anxiety and pain related to surgical procedures, and helping individuals cope with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Children who are challenged by physical, emotional, and cognitive delays can benefit from music therapy by working towards increased physical strength and mobility, learning how to express their feelings in an effective way without hurting others, and by introducing music activities within their academic goals to increase memory and help problem solving. Finally, older adults suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and those who are frail from the effects of aging can benefit from music therapy in terms of reminiscing, moving and dancing to music for physical conditioning.

Who Provides Music Therapy?

Music therapists are individuals who have completed specific educational requirements from universities and colleges approved by the American Music Therapy Association. The educational requirements include classes covering information about how to perform music, counseling techniques, and specific music therapy interventions. There are approximately 70 universities and colleges throughout the United States that offer undergraduate degrees in music therapy. Typically, these degree programs are located within a university’s music school.

Once a student has passed all of his or her courses and successfully completed a clinical internship, s/he can take a certification exam. After passing this exam, they use the credential board-certified music therapist (MT-BC). This is the credential that lets health care consumers know an individual is competent to practice as a music therapist.

What should I expect when I go see a Music Therapist?

While music therapists work in a variety of settings, there is a basic format that can be expected regardless of where the therapy takes place.

Assessment (What are your needs?)

The purpose of an assessment is to find out what the patient’s specific needs and strengths are. This information is gathered by the therapist through a variety of methods. One method may involve the therapist talking with the patient to find out what is most important to him/her. Another method may include the therapist and patient making or listening to music together to determine what the patient can do and identify areas of need.

Plan (What are we going to do about it?)

After the assessment, the music therapist will create a plan that includes a series of goals and objectives. The goals and objectives are created from the assessment, including the patient’s desires. The assessment, goals and objectives will also help the therapist determine what types of music therapy techniques are going to work best with that particular individual.

Evaluation (Is our plan working?)

After the therapist and patient begin working together, the music therapist will begin to collect information to decide whether or not the therapy is working. As the beginning goals and objectives are met, the patient and the music therapist may determine that the goals need to be altered to meet the patient’s changing needs and abilities.

How much does Music Therapy cost?

Music therapy can take place within a group or an individual setting. Costs for sessions vary depending on geographical area, the music therapist training level, and whether or not the therapist is using a specialized technique. The American Music Therapy Association estimates that group session rates average around $55 an hour, with individual session rates averaging around $60 an hour. These rates are most likely charged by someone who is Bachelor’s level. Master’s level music therapists are likely to charge something closer to $90 and PhD level music therapists over $100 for individual sessions. Group session may be somewhat less.

Who will pay for it?

It may be possible to receive reimbursement for music therapy services through your private health care plan. There have been music therapists throughout the country who have been paid by insurance companies to provide services. Sometimes it depends on whether or not you have a physician referral for music therapy and whether or not that referral is based on what is called “medical necessity.” This term means that the treatment must be reasonable, necessary, and/or appropriate based on current heath are standards and the best available research results. Certainly, music therapy is included as a viable treatment that meets medical necessity, depending on what your presenting problem is. The music therapist may ask you to verify with your insurance company that the services are covered prior to beginning therapy.

There are some states that include music therapy as an approved treatment for children who receive Medicaid waiver services. If you or your family member receives Medicaid waiver services, you can ask your case manager if music therapy is a covered service. It seems that most people who receive music therapy under the Medicaid waiver system are dealing with issues related to developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder, etc. Additionally, these programs are usually available for children and adolescents up through the age of 23; but, there are some states that are beginning to cover music therapy services for adults with developmental delays.

Certainly it is possible to pay for music therapy services out of pocket without relying on a third party to assist in payment. Some music therapists may have a sliding fee scale that is based on the patient’s income.

If you are receiving inpatient hospital care, if the hospital has a music therapist on staff, it is likely included in the hospital room charge. This method of billing is actually cost effective and efficient for hospitals and provides supportive services to all patients.

Is Music Therapy safe?

As with any type of therapy there are some risks, though they are extremely rare. It is possible that some individuals may experience a strong emotional reaction while listening or participating in music therapy interventions. It is common for people to become emotional and cry while listening to music, in fact, it is common. A music therapist is trained to help patients identify and cope with strong feelings. If the music therapist feels that additional help is needed, she may refer you a psychologist or psychiatrist for further evaluation

Music Therapy and Medicine

Music has a long history of aiding in the healing and wellness of individuals. Reports of healthcare providers using music in hospitals are available from the late 1940s and early 1950s. Music therapy as a profession was in large part, a response to WW II veterans’ needs while in the hospital. Currently, there are many medical populations that benefit from music therapy. Some of the most common medical uses are described below.

Premature Infants/NICU

Jayne Standley, professor at the Florida State University, has spent a major portion of her career exploring the benefits of music therapy and music-based interventions with premature infants. In 2003, Dr. Standley and the American Music Therapy Association published a comprehensive book describing the use of music therapy with premature infants.1

Premature infants are exposed to multiple stressors because their neurological systems are not yet developed. These stressors include the noisy and unpredictable hospital environment that inhibits usual parent-child interaction and bonding. To counteract the negative effects of the hospital environment, Standley and her colleagues at Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial Hospital have developed several music therapy interventions to improve health outcomes for premature infants including a combination of singing and massage to soothe infants, recorded music to encourage pacifier sucking (this encourages independent feeding), and parent training in music interventions.

Positive outcomes from some of these interventions include improved oxygen saturation levels, increases in weight gain and shortened hospital stay. However, while specific types of music are beneficial for preemies, Standley discourages the use of music that is too complicated and stimulating, including harp, drums, and mallet instruments such as xylophone. Neurological development in premature infants is fragile enough, that loud unpredictable sounds are not safe.

Medical Procedures

It is common for medical procedures to cause a lot of anxiety. This anxiety is due in part to the unfamiliar hospital environment and the potential findings of the procedure. Some tests are routine, but those that are not can be extremely anxiety provoking because the results may mean a serious illness. Along with anxiety, pain and discomfort are common experiences during both routine and special tests.

Music listening has been effective in decreasing anxiety and physiological arousal (heart rate, pulse, breathing rate) prior to procedures. Listening to preferred, relaxing music for 15-20 minutes can help reduce anxiety and respiration rate. Music listening with or without imagery can also help reduce anxiety and pain during unpleasant procedures. Some research suggests that people need less pain medicine or sedation when the right kind of music is used during procedures. These types of reductions can translate into lower medical costs. For example, Dr. Darcy Walworth, MT-BC examined data from music therapy procedures with children undergoing CT, ECGs, and the like.2 She was most interested in the difference in cost when a procedure included music therapy compared to what is called “usual care”. In some cases, including music therapy reduced or totally eliminated the use of sedation or anesthesia, which substantially reduced costs in terms of the number of staff members needed during the procedure, medication costs, and time to complete the procedure.

Cancer

The experience of cancer can be improved by engaging in music therapy interventions. Some interventions are designed to decrease pain and the nausea that is experienced as a result of either the cancer or cancer treatment. There are some cancers that require treatment, such as bone marrow transplant, in special isolation rooms, because of the increased risk for infection. Being in isolation can increase anxiety and loneliness, leading to inactivity and depression. Music therapy interventions, both interactive and receptive, have positive benefits in terms of improving mood and decreasing pain and nausea. There are also some indications that music interventions can improve immune function, which is vitally important in recovering from some diseases.

Hospice Care

Hospice care focuses on keeping patients and families comfortable when there is no longer a need for active treatment. Specific goals for hospice music therapy include decreasing pain and agitation, improving quality of life, family communication, and addressing spiritual concerns. Some hospice organizations provide music therapists to their patients and families to provide comfort and address spiritual issues. A very recent article examined the cost benefits of including music therapy within hospice care, which is often covered through a Medicare fixed rate. The results of this study demonstrated a significant cost savings (approximately $3000 per patient) for hospice patients who received music therapy along with usual therapies and nursing care.3

Pain

Pain is a complicated phenomenon in that only the person in pain can describe what he or she is experiencing. There are many non-physical factors that contribute to the experience of pain, such as anxiety. For instance, high levels of anxiety can increase pain perception.

There is some research that suggests listening to pleasurable music increases the body’s natural pain killers within the brain. There is other research that explains the beneficial effects of music as being a distraction from the painful stimuli. Either way, music therapy has been shown effective in decreasing pain in burn victims, cancer patients, during labor and delivery, and during recovery from surgical procedures