Music therapy is believed to be very beneficial for mental health as the healing benefit capabilities of music. People with autism, chromosomal disorder, dementia, brain injury and even to those in the oncology ward can gain a lot with this kind of therapy. Nordoff Robbins is one of the examples of music therapy charity centre. Aside from taking care of those mental health patients, they also started to focus on giving therapy for kidney patients as well.
Birth of Music Therapy for Kidney Patients
Dialysis centre caters haemodialysis for those with renal failure. Luckily, in Europe, the largest dialysis at Northwick Park Hospital renders service to almost 250 kidney patients every week. Moreover, that dialysis unit is the first-ever unit of dialysis in the UK that provides music therapy service regularly.
Patients under this unit vary from ages, cultural backgrounds, additional health concerns, and other experiences regarding dialysis. The music therapy in the dialysis unit was planned but the way it worked to different groups of patients was unclear that time. Initially, the start of music therapy is just a trial period consisting of 5 sessions.
As they go along, this session suddenly becomes a commitment and continues its startup process. Compared to products categorized under “what to drink for kidney stones”, music therapy is not applicable for all patients.
However, the amazing engagement of most patient groups discovers the musician from within for both patients and staff.
Patient’s Activity
The Nordoff Robbins music therapy centre follows an approach of active involvement of patients in making music together with the therapist. Activities enclosed in the active involvement approach are instrument playing, singing, and dancing. It may also include listening.
This approach also gives every patient their right to get the chance of being creative, expressive, and enjoying themselves. Moreover, it also entails the production of a positive effect on their surroundings. Having peace and to get a good rest is also one of the patient’s rights.
The Effect
To make things clear, music therapy did not act as a cure for a disease. With this, the reversal of renal failure cannot be achieved through music therapy. It is a channel to give people an opportunity to experience their situation in a different manner that results in a positive perspective and changes in life.