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Music to Their Ears: Reducing Antipsychotic Use With a Personalized Music Intervention for Rural Veterans
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Music to Their Ears: Reducing Antipsychotic Use With a Personalized Music Intervention for Rural Veterans

Tara Downs, Jaime Wilson, Sherry Brewer, Karla Miller, Melissa Swee, Virginia Taylor, Issis Betts-Jimenez, Janna Imel and Cassie Graham
Curēus (Palo Alto, CA), Vol.16(11), e73232
11/07/2024
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.73232
PMCID: PMC11624909
PMID: 39650905
url
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.73232View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Background This project investigates a music intervention to deprescribe antipsychotics in rural Veterans with dementia. Methods The Veterans Health Administration Home-Based Primary Care Program is care provided in the home by an interdisciplinary team with the goals of decreasing hospitalizations and falls, providing education to patients and caregivers, and improving quality of life. Eighteen Home Based Primary Care Veterans with dementia and active antipsychotic prescriptions were identified with the goal to deprescribe antipsychotics in 50% of them using a music intervention. Individualized playlists and assessments for Veteran quality of life and caregiver burden were evaluated. Phone visits tracked music utilization and captured the voice of the customer. Results Antipsychotic dose reduction occurred in five of eight Veterans, totaling eight dose reductions and one discontinuation. Veteran quality of life improved; however, caregiver burden increased initially. The caregiver burden did improve when an outlier was removed. The voice of the customer favored music intervention. Conclusions A personalized music intervention is a feasible approach for reducing antipsychotic use in rural Veterans, improving quality of life, and potentially reducing caregiver burden.

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