Alternative therapy for nursing care in older adults

Abstract

Anxiety is a common emotional disorder in the elderly that stems from physiological, emotional and social changes. Objective: to determine the effect of alternative therapy for nursing care in older adults. Methodology: quantitative, descriptive quasi-experimental study that included a total of 50 older adults from the "Izamba sin Barreras" Association of the city of Ambato in the province of Tungurahua-Ecuador and with whom a four-week intervention was carried out. With music therapy to reduce anxiety, a sociodemographic record and the State-Rank Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used as data collection techniques, which evaluate state-anxiety and rank-anxiety. Results: Music therapy proved to be beneficial in reducing anxiety in older adults, since after its use state-anxiety was significantly reduced; before the intervention it was present in 66% and at the end of the intervention in 2%, in the case of anxiety-trait the decrease was not achieved. Student's T test showed a significant difference between initial and final total anxiety, which suggests the usefulness of music therapy in reducing anxiety in older adults. Conclusion: the use of music therapy as an alternative therapy in nursing care for the elderly with anxiety is effective, it significantly reduces state anxiety. Further research with the STAI inventory and music therapy is recommended as an alternative therapy for older adults.