The impact of recreational music-making for long-term care workers.

ADVANCES Fall/Winter 2003, VOL. 19, NO. 3/4 The Impact of Recreational Music-Making for Long-Term Care Workers The featured article in this issue, Recreational MusicMaking: A Cost-Effective Group Interdisciplinary Strategy for Reducing Burnout and Improving Mood States in Long-Term Care Workers—Insights and Potential Economic Impact, represents an outstanding research contribution. This paper provides for a new, innovative approach outside the realm of direct patient impact. Bittman and his research team present a compelling comprehensive rationale for directly addressing and developing effective programs to meet the needs of the often-overlooked healthcare worker. This study not only introduces recreational music-making as an effective interdisciplinary group mind-body wellness strategy, but also serves to document impressive, statisticallysignificant improvements in burnout and mood parameters in a stressed healthcare workforce serving one of society’s most challenged areas—long-term care. The authors explore the multidimensional impact of a unique recreational music-making program in the context of diminishing long-term care employee turnover rates that are currently estimated at over 60% per year in the US. The process of reducing turnover and thereby fostering enhanced continuity of care impacts not only healthcare workers, but also their families, long-term care centers, and ultimately residents and their loved ones alike. In addition, Bittman and colleagues present a post hoc economic-impact analysis performed by an independent healthcare financial consulting firm. A potential savings of $89,100 based upon reduced employee turnover was projected for each typical 100-bed long-term care facility that uses this innovative music strategy. Based upon these results and the economic impact projections, this editor subsequently contacted the long-term care center where this study was performed for additional information. During a telephone interview, Donald Clawson, president of Wesbury United Methodist Retirement Community in Meadville, Pa, reported that a marked behavioral shift in greater tolerance and team-building had indeed occurred in his workforce since the inception of this intervention. In addition, he noted a significant improvement in employee morale, as well as a dramatic and concomitant reduction of employee complaints during this period. Clawson also referred to data recently compiled by the center’s human resources department, which concluded that a substantial reduction in the employee turnover rate had occurred, comparing 2002 (the year of the study) with the The Impact of Recreational Music-making for Long-Term Care Workers