| Abstract [eng] |
This master’s thesis explores the possibilities of applying harp thanatology in an end-of-life care within the Lithuanian context. The aim of the study is to describe the theory of harp thanatology, review harp thanatology practice, and explore live harp music application possibilities for people at the end of their life. The study discusses the concept and historical development of music thanatology, the characteristics of the harp as a therapeutic instrument, musical vigils, the prescriptive music method, and the specific features of the harp thanatologist’s work. The empirical part presents a qualitative pilot action research study. Observation, reflection, musical visit descriptions, and narrative case analysis methods were applied. Musical visits and vigils took place from January to April in 2026 in Lithuanian healthcare and palliative care institutions. During the study, 11 musical visits in clinical settings and one session in a farewell environment were conducted. A total of 27 hospital rooms and one patient at home were visited during the musical visits. The study involved 67 patients, 20 relatives, healthcare staff members, and two voluntary observers. The empirical part of the thesis also includes brief descriptions of musical visits and narrative case analyses. The research analyzed the reactions of patients, their relatives, and the surrounding environment to the live harp music. It was observed that harp sounds often changed the atmosphere of hospital rooms by reducing tension and creating states of calmness, concentration, and emotional openness. Some patients responded physiologically by calming down, falling asleep, or showing changes in breathing rhythm and body tone. Music also evoked memories, emotional experiences, and feelings of togetherness among patients and their relatives. Interaction between patients, relatives, and music became an important aspect of the study. In some cases, music did not reach a deeper emotional connection due to relatives control, anxiety, or a closed emotional environment. During the action research process, attention was devoted to the researcher’s reflections, the disclosure of the work’s specific nature, and the adaptation of the method in practice. The researcher analyzed her emotional reactions, communication with patients, relationships with healthcare institutions, and the course of musical sessions. The study highlighted the importance of observation, silence, musical improvisation, and collaboration with healthcare staff. The study revealed that harp thanatology may become a meaningful complementary form of the end-of-life care in Lithuania, oriented not toward curing, but toward emotional, spiritual, and existential accompaniment of the person. This pilot study is the first systematic attempt presenting the terminology, methods, and practical application possibilities of music thanatology within the Lithuanian healthcare context. |
