Music in motion: British home’s neurologic music therapy pilot demonstrates transformative impact
By Chiltern Music Therapy for Neuro Rehab Times
A six-month pilot of Neurologic Music Therapy® (NMT™) at British Home has delivered compelling results, highlighting the therapy’s effectiveness in supporting complex neurorehabilitation goals across physical, cognitive, psychological and communicative domains.
The full-day NMT™ pilot involved 14 unique patients receiving both 1:1 and group sessions, with referrals covering a wide range of conditions: neurological disorder (42.9 per cent), stroke (28.6 per cent), acquired or traumatic brain injury (21.4 per cent) and spinal cord injury (7.1 per cent).
Therapy goals were collaboratively set with the multidisciplinary team (MDT), aligning directly with each patient’s functional and psychological rehabilitation objectives.
Impressively, 83 per cent of patients achieved their goals during NMT™ treatment, with 100% reporting improvements in mood.
Patients noted significant benefits in areas such as stress reduction, pain distraction, enhanced mood and engagement, self-expression, physical function and cognitive ability.
Staff feedback echoed this impact:
“Music added the extra motivation for him to hit his goals and improve his mobility while drumming.” – Therapy Assistant
“It is both enjoyable and therapeutically rewarding to the outpatient.” – Occupational Therapist
“Its impact is there to be seen.” – Speech and Language Therapist
Staff questionnaires showed unanimous agreement that NMT™ introduced valuable new techniques, creative approaches and innovative patient engagement methods.
All respondents strongly agreed that the service had positively influenced their own practice.
A standout case study highlights the joint use of NMT™ and Speech and Language Therapy for Ryan*, a patient whose therapy goals included improving respiratory strength, vocal volume and breath control.
Ryan engaged in Oral Motor and Respiratory Exercises (OMREX)™ and Therapeutic Singing (TS)™, alongside Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST). Outcomes included:
- Breath control improvements from 2.45s to 5.15s
- Vocal volume increases (speech: 33db to 50db; singing: 42db to 65db)
- Improved pitch control and sustained phonation
- Steady EMST progression, now completing 5 x 5 breaths at 30cm H₂O independently
Ryan’s motivation and commitment have played a crucial role in these measurable gains. Therapy will continue with more advanced OMREX techniques, an expanded TS repertoire, integration into functional communication tasks and EMST progression.
Based on the pilot’s success, a recommendation has been made to increase NMT™ provision to two days per week. This would include:
- Group sessions focusing on communication and cognition
- Introduction of personalised Music Care Plans
- Greater MDT integration through joint sessions and regular meetings
- Refresher NMT™ training for new team members
This pilot has demonstrated that NMT™ is a powerful, engaging, and effective modality within neurorehabilitation settings, enriching both patient outcomes and therapeutic practice.
Chiltern are delighted that following this pilot phase, an ongoing service at British Home was agreed, enabling recommendations to begin to be implemented and embedded as the service continues to develop.
*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality
