Many music therapists working in end-of-life care do not focus solely on the individual who is approaching the end of life; they also direct their therapeutic efforts towards the family caregivers. Music therapy can benefit caregivers both during the pre-bereavement stage (prior to the loss of their loved one) and the bereavement stage (following the death of their loved one).

Music Therapy During Pre-Bereavement

Research indicates that music can provide numerous benefits for caregivers and care recipients as the latter approaches the end of their life. Music that is meaningful to the caregiver and/or recipient can:

  • Trigger memories, activating meaningful reflection and engagement with loved ones.
  • Provide opportunities for connection and bonding between the caregiver and the care recipient. 

For caregivers whose loved ones have dementia or other illnesses that affect their memories, personalities, and/or awareness, music therapy can be particularly powerful:

  • Music therapy can trigger the “pre-illness identities” of these individuals to re-emerge, temporarily bringing them back into a semblance of their “old selves.”
  • Seeing their loved one acting more like the person they were prior to illness can be particularly meaningful to caregivers. 

In a 2018 research study on music therapy in hospice care: one caregiver reported:

“I got my mom back for a bit. I got to enjoy the music with her… She was there… and I could see her again happy, joyful, and singing… Little snippets of seeing her…”

As music therapy prompts care recipients to return to their pre-illness identities, caregivers can find themselves doing the same. During music therapy, the caregiver can return to their natural role as child, parent, spouse, or friend, rather than simply a caregiver. This can:

  • Infuse meaning into the caregiving process
  • Reduce feelings of burden and compassion fatigue
  • Ease tensions between the caregiver and care recipient
  • Help the caregiver and recipient return to a more natural, familiar manner of engaging with one another 

Additionally, it can be encouraging and comforting for caregivers to know that through music therapy involvement, they are providing a meaningful service to their loved one at the end of their life.

Music therapy can have a positive effect on caregivers independently of their loved one during the pre-bereavement period. Music can help caregivers identify and experience their emotions, helping create a strong foundation for a healthy bereavement process. Additionally, music therapy can ease the burden on caregivers as they are relieved of their caregiving responsibilities during the session.

Music Therapy During Bereavement

Caregivers can benefit from music therapy following the loss of their loved ones. Arts-based therapies can be particularly effective in providing holistic support for bereaved individuals, focusing on quality of life and coping with grief in healthy ways. Music therapy can provide caregivers with creative opportunities for:

  • Self-expression
  • Reflection
  • Meaning-making
  • Social connections

Group music therapy with other bereaved individuals can provide a safe space for caregivers to share their thoughts and emotions with others who may be feeling something similar. These groups can provide social support and connectedness, reducing feelings of loneliness. In one example from research, participants in “Singing Well,” a music therapy group for bereaved individuals, reported the following positive effects of music therapy: 

  • Motivation to make changes, engage with interests, and move forward with life
  • Validation and re-conceptualization of loss and grief
  • Fostering feelings of connection
  • Evoking of memories
  • Release of emotions
  • Opportunities to express oneself in ways other than talking

Legacy Projects

Caregivers of individuals approaching the end of life may want to create a special memento that helps them remember their loved one. Legacy projects can provide caregivers with a meaningful, enduring product that they can cherish before and after their loved one has passed away. Research shows that legacy projects can:

  • Create opportunities for caregivers and their loved ones to bond prior to the individual’s passing
  • Provide caregivers with a deeply meaningful keepsake
  • Foster healthier bereavement processes
  • Help caregivers maintain connections with their deceased loved ones

Here are a few ways music therapists can assist in the creation of music-centered legacy projects:

  • Therapeutic songwriting – music therapists can guide hospice patients and caregivers as they work together to write meaningful music. Individuals can write their own lyrics to existing melodies, or they can create brand new music.
  • Audio recordings – music therapists can assist in the recording of personalized music or the recording of the hospice patient themselves singing or playing music.
  • Heartbeat recordings – a recording of an individual’s heartbeat can be embedded in a personalized song that is meaningful to the family. The heartbeat can serve as the beat of the song, and a music therapist can record the music themselves to match the rhythm of the heartbeat.

While creating music may sound daunting or even impossible, music therapists can provide guidance and support during the process, helping to create a truly meaningful treasure. 

 

References

Camp, L. (2025). Hospice music therapists’ experiences with musical life reviews and music therapy legacy projects. [Master’s thesis, University of Kansas]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses.

Gillespie, K., McConnell, T., Roulston, A., Potvin, N., Ghiglieri, C., Gadde, I., Anderson, M., Kirkwood, J., Thomas, D., Roche, L., O.'Sullivan, M., McCullagh, A., & Graham-Wisener, L. (2024). Music therapy for supporting informal carers of adults with life-threatening illness pre- and post-bereavement; A mixed-methods systematic review. BMC Palliative Care, 23(1), 1–68. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-024-01364-z 

Potvin, N., Bradt, J., & Ghetti, C. (2018). A theoretical model of resource-oriented music therapy with informal hospice caregivers during pre-bereavement. Journal of Music Therapy, 55(1), 27–61. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thx019 

Valenti, K., Cleveland, M., Hamrick, K., Vickers, J., Stockdill, M. L., Hicks, J., Tucker, R. O., & Huang, C.-H. S. (2026). My heart will go on: Caregiver experiences of a legacy intervention in acute palliative care. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 71(2), 290–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2025.10.019