• Moon Fai Chan, Zi Yang Wong, Hideaki Onishi, and Naidu Vellasamy Thayala.
• Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore City, Singapore. nurcmf@nus.edu.sg
• J Clin Nurs. 2012 Mar 1;21(5-6):776-83.

AimTo determine the effect of music on depression levels in older adults. Background.  Depression is a common psychiatric disorder in older adults, and its impacts on this group of people, along with its conventional treatment, merit our attention. Conventional pharmacological methods might result in dependence and impairment in psychomotor and cognitive functioning. Listening to music, which is a non-pharmacological method, might reduce depression.DesignA randomised controlled study.MethodThe study was conducted from July 2009-June 2010 at participants' home in Singapore. In total, 50 older adults (24 using music and 26 control) completed the study after being recruited. Participants listened to their choice of music for 30 minutes per week for eight weeks.Outcome MeasuresDepression scores were collected once a week for eight weeks.ResultsDepression levels reduced weekly in the music group, indicating a cumulative dose effect, and a statistically significant reduction in depression levels was found over time in the music group compared with non-music group.ConclusionsListening to music can help older people to reduce their depression level.Relevance To Clinical PracticeMusic is a non-invasive, simple and inexpensive therapeutic method of improving life quality in community-dwelling older people.© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

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