The Effect of Music on the Comfort and Anxiety of Older Adults Living in a Nursing Home in Turkey

The study was designed as a randomized controlled experimental study with a pretest/posttest and a control group. The study sample comprised 56 seniors who resided in a nursing home. The study data were collected using the “Mini-Mental State Examination,” “Identification Form,” “General Comfort Questionnaire,” and “Beck Anxiety Inventory.” While the mean scores obtained from the General Comfort Questionnaire by the participants in the experimental group demonstrated significant differences (p < 0.05), those obtained by the participants in the control group did not (p > 0.05). The mean scores obtained from the Beck Anxiety Inventory by the participants in the experimental group after a 3-week music intervention were significantly higher than their pre-study scores (p < 0.05); however, no significant increase was observed in the control group (p < 0.05).It was determined that music reduced anxiety experienced by the older adults since it improved their comfort.