Council on Aging Answers 2015 - 47

COUNCIL ON AGING - ORANGE COUNTY

Meet George: A Story of Music Therapy In Action
I walk into a nursing home's activity room, ready to greet the residents
attending the weekly music therapy
group. It's almost Valentine's Day,
and I have planned several different
music experiences to encourage reminiscence about love and romance.
As I shake hands with each group
member, I pay extra attention to
"George." George is in the early stages
of dementia so his memory comes
and goes, but I know that his wife of
67 years just died the week before.
I'm not sure what he will remember,
but I know that he likely needs some
room to grieve in his own way. I also
can predict that the music will trigger some memories about his beloved
wife. Whether this will be pleasant or
heartbreaking, I don't know yet.
The long-standing goals for George have been to
encourage socialization with his fellow residents and
to facilitate gross motor movement. Research tells us
that seniors benefit greatly from physical activity and
socialization. George doesn't care for exercise classes
and often refuses to attend other group activities, but he
loves to dance and sing with his fellow residents.
Today, though, George might need help in a different
way. We listen to old songs to encourage conversation
about the past.
Those old songs do spark memories for George during music therapy. We sing "Let Me Call You Sweetheart," and I ask everyone about the pet names they had
for their own sweethearts. George says, "darling," and
we sing our new verse: "Let me call you darling - I'm
in love with you." George is quiet as I kneel before him

and hold his hand. I say, "You really miss your darling,
don't you?" He squeezes my hand firmly. Then he lets
go, and begins clapping in time with the music as the
group dances to a recording of "Baby Love." Today,
George is surrounded by friends, in a safe place to
grieve the loss of his wife. Today is not easy, but music
therapy is helping to hold him up.
How Can Music Therapy Help Me?
Whether you're looking for music to help yourself or
a loved one, a music therapist can help. First of all, you
may choose to consult with or learn
from a music therapist how best to
use music on your own, for caregiving or for self-care. While music
for caregiving and self-care is not
the same as music therapy since a
qualified professional is not directly
involved, it can still be tremendously helpful. You might design a
playlist to help everyone wake up in
the morning, or choose music that
will help your loved one go longer
with the exercises prescribed by the
doctor. You can find the best music
to help you relax, and you can even
listen to old songs to encourage
conversations about the past.
If you or your loved one need a
deeper, more individualized level of
support, however, you may choose
to work directly with a board-certified music therapist.
Music therapists are especially helpful for people who
have dementia, depression, or anxiety; or who are facing the end of life or dealing with grief over the loss of a
loved one. Through the relationship nurtured in music
- playing, singing, writing, or dancing - the music
therapist can help you or your loved one find peace and
healing.
To find a board-certified music therapist near you,
contact the American Music Therapy Association
(http://musictherapy.org).

Music therapists
work in many
settings that serve
older adults and
their caregivers,
including senior
living communities,
hospitals, hospices,
and other locations.

Council On Aging-Orange County | 714-479-0107 | www.coaoc.org

Rachelle Norman, MA, MT-BC is a board-certified
music therapist and the owner of Soundscape Music
Therapy. Read more about using music for healthy aging
at http://soundscapemusictherapy.com.
Answers Guide 2015

hEALThCARE

people with depression, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, or
grief over the many losses that come in the later years
of life. In the home, music therapy can help a senior
and caregiver connect in a pleasant way, relieving some
of the stress that builds up in a caregiving relationship.
Music therapy can even be an opportunity to explore
the tremendous creativity that can come late in life, but
it does not require any particular musical skill, just a
desire to experience music.

http://www.musictherapy.org http://www.soundscapemusictherapy.com http://www.coaoc.org

Council on Aging Answers 2015

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