Hospice and palliative care aim to support patients’ quality of life by reducing physiological, psychological, social and spiritual distress and improving comfort. Music therapists working in hospice care facilitate a variety of active and passive therapeutic music experiences (including songwriting, improvisation, guided imagery and music, lyric analysis, singing, instrument playing, and music supported relaxation techniques) to address end of life needs. In a 2005 journal article titled “Music Therapy in Hospice and Palliative Care: a Review of the Empirical Data,” Russell Hilliard reviewed 11 empirical studies from the hospice and palliative care music therapy literature. This blog post will share the outcomes of his analysis and explain the implications for…