Can a personalised music listening intervention decrease agitation in hospitalised patients with dementia? A feasibility trial

INTRODUCTION: Agitation is a common manifestation of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Pharmacotherapy is not the first-line management because of its potential harms, particularly in the elderly. Music as a non-pharmacological intervention for agitation has been explored in residential aged-care facilities, but few studies have been situated in hospitals. This pilot aims to evaluate the feasibility of a personalised music listening intervention for reducing agitation in hospitalised patients with dementia in a metropolitan Geriatric Evaluation and Management (GEM) unit. METHODS: Two-arm randomised control feasibility trial. Eligible patients were assigned to the music intervention or control group, with the intervention group receiving music daily between 15:00–16:00, and agitation levels measured in both groups hourly based on the Pittsburgh Agitation Score (PAS) over 5 days of hospitalisation. Post-trial semi-structured interviews assessed feasibility of the intervention. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were recruited over 8 months. Interviews with staff involved indicated that the music intervention was manageable to deliver, assisted engagement with patients which increased efficiency of some clinical tasks, and challenged staff mindset around using psychotropic medication to address agitation. PAS results were inconclusive, because of underpowered numbers in this pilot study. CONCLUSION: It is feasible for nursing staff to deliver a personalised music listening intervention to patients with dementia in a geriatric unit of a tertiary hospital, without compromising on usual clinical care.