Close your eyes. Think about a song you love, one that transports you to a time and place that you remember fondly. How does it make you feel? Awake and alert? Calm and relaxed? Now, think of this effect music can have when used in therapy for patients and families who are coping with grief, loss, pain and anxiety. That is the power of music therapy.
What is music therapy?
Music therapy is the use of music by a qualified music therapist to address a person’s physical, emotional, cognitive or social needs. Within hospice and palliative care, the relationship between the therapist, patient and family can improve the comfort of the entire person — body, mind and spirit.
The benefits of music therapy in hospice
Music therapy for hospice patients has many clinical benefits. It can help with memory loss and fine motor skills, reduce tension and anxiety, manage pain, and improve breathing in some patients through the stages of end of life care.
At Catholic Health Services and Catholic Hospice, our board-certified music therapist designs treatment sessions based on your loved one’s particular needs, and can include singing, moving, or listening to live, patient-preferred music during an individual or group session. Our music therapist assesses the patient’s needs, before and during each session, and works in tandem with an interdisciplinary team of professionals to provide individualized care and comprehensive services to hospice patients.
What to expect during a music therapy session
Watch as our Hospice Music Therapist brings joy and comfort to patients and their families with the connections she makes through music and song. Laura visits patients at home and in our Inpatient Care Centers that provide hospice care in Miami Dade and Broward County. Family members are encouraged to make requests and sing along.