Art in Health: Angklung Musical-Based Interventions for Older Adults in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Arts in healthcare can support emotional, cognitive, and social well-being among older adults. Angklung, a traditional Indonesian bamboo instrument recognized by UNESCO, has potential as a culturally grounded, music-based intervention in older adult care. This systematic review, guided by the PRISMA framework, examined Angklung-based interventions for older adults in Southeast Asia. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, with the final search completed on 19 November 2024. English-language studies published between 2010 and 2024 were included if they focused on Angklung-based or Angklung-related interventions involving older adults and reported outcomes related to well-being, cognition, emotion, social engagement, motor function, or accessibility. A total of nine studies met the eligibility criteria. The findings suggest that Angklung-based interventions may support memory recall, emotional regulation, social interaction, motor coordination, and accessibility. Three intervention types were identified: Music Angklung, involving listening-based engagement; Activity Angklung, involving group performance; and Assistive Angklung, involving Smart Band and Internet of Things-based support. Music and Activity Angklung were mainly associated with emotional, cognitive, and social engagement, while Assistive Angklung supported participation among older adults with physical or functional limitations. However, the evidence remains preliminary due to small samples, varied study designs, inconsistent reporting, and limited long-term follow-up. Further research is needed to examine effectiveness, scalability, and integration into community-based older adult care programmes. This review contributes by positioning Angklung as a culturally relevant, non-pharmacological approach with potential application in arts-in-health and older adult care in Southeast Asia.