In India, elderly population stands in second place in the world. Since 1990s, geriatric homes keep increasing due to urbanization and industrialization. The elderly are forced to stay in geriatric homes. In geriatric homes more than half of the elderly are suffering from bio physical problems compared to the elderly residing in the community. Mortality rates will be higher among geriatric which is included in the vulnerable group by the year 2020, mainly due to bio physical problems especially cardiac illness. The pulse is considered as one of the most accessible and important indications of the general condition of a patient. The pulse rate, being an index of the heart rate, is of the greatest importance. Those problems can be prevented by recent trends in the intervention which includes complimentary therapies especially music therapy. The objectives of the study were to assess the effect of music therapy on elderly suffering from bio physical problems, who are residing in selected geriatric homes and to associate the effect with selected demographic variables. The study was conducted in ‘Little Drops’ old age home (experimental group), and ‘Little Angles’ old age home (control group), Chennai, Tamil Nadu. A Quasi experimental design Pre[1]test/Post-test Control Group was used. Elderly samples of 101 in experimental group and 100 in control group were selected. Purposive sampling technique was used in selecting the samples. Inclusion criteria were followed, as the samples that were able to hear the music by conducting whisper test. Pre assessment of checking pulse rate was done before the intervention of administration of music therapy. It was administered to the participants who were included in listening to a predesigned instrumental music based on raga Malkauns, for the duration of 22 minutes at a specified time in the evening for a period of 30 days. The collected data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The study results revealed that, there is a significant relationship between the effect of music therapy and the increased pulse rate of the elderly; also showed a significant relationship between sex, educational status, exercise and family income with the higher rate of pulse. The study concludes that training in the field of geriatrics and gerontology for Para professionals in counseling the elderly including music therapy beneficial effects on the problems of the elderly.
