Saturday morning, August 31, 2013....hot and humid day, perfect for Labor Day Weekend. My Daughter, Cindy, was born on Labor Day in 1971....it put new meaning into the word "Labor".
A few weeks ago, I received a phone call inviting me to play my Harp for a 2 Hour Open House at an Assisted Living for their Wine & Cheese Event. This Event was open to all levels of the Senior Living Community and was intended to encourage residents to sign up for the long-term care at the Reminiscence Unit. Well, this was a paying gig, so how could I refuse. I am NOT a performer. I have never been comfortable in front of people, but somehow when I play Therapeutic Music on my Harp, I fall immediately into my Service Mode, rather than the Performance Mode.
I have been a little nervous about this Gig, but determined to work through the anxiety....after all, it's a Wine & Cheese sort of thing....people coming and going, chatting over my Harp background music. I wasn't on stage or anything....people could stand around me and listen for a few minutes and then move on, I am used to that at the Hospital and I knew I could keep my focus and do this.
I spent the better part of 2 weeks downloading copies of Music, specifically from their Genera. I found some beautiful oldies but goodies that my Grandma and my Mom would sing. I am so used to playing with"no fluff" in Therapeutic Music, that I worked on adding lots of fluff and flair to these pieces. I am mentioning this because I did not show up unprepared, just the opposite.
I arrived about 30 minutes early to set up and tune. The Receptionist at the front desk said, "oh good, there she is, the Harpist! We have people coming from all over the community". Ok, now I start to sweat. Oh, did I mention it was 100o in the Facility? I let myself into the Unit with the special code and was greeted with lots of smiles and warm welcomes from the Staff and in particular the Activities Director of that Reminiscence Unit, who invited me to play. Here is where I start to panic.....
I walk into the large living area on one side of the Unit and there is about 40 people already seated in chairs and wheelchairs....the place was packed and there was a little area left open for me...yep, you guessed it....I was on stage and the main attraction. OMG I wanted to just faint. A little echo in my ears, beads of sweat rolling down my neck. Where the hell was the Wine & Cheese??? How on earth could anyone visit the Unit and chat...there was no place to stand, never mind walk? Why did the Activities Director fail to tell me that on the Flyer they sent around a month ago, I was listed as the Harpist giving a Concert????? Good Grief, now what?
Well, I sucked it up and started to unpack my Harp, while all eyes were burning holes in me. I saw my Gommie across the room and she waved and smiled at me. It melted my heart and I had to go give her a hug. When I got back to my Harp, one of the Residents I had met before while visiting Gommie, was sitting on my right. She didn't communicate, but she was all stares and very interested in what I was doing. I was starting to feel a little better about all these surprises. Here's a kicker....when I stood my Harp up and turned it towards the crowd, there was an "awwwwwww" that filled the room! They just loved to look at the Harp.
I pulled myself together after Tuning and started to play...one Tune after another. The Residents and visitors were softly singing....and then as I played they sang louder and faster. Oh no, not faster....where the heck was I on the page of music???? At one point I was totally lost and I stopped and looked up at them and said, "ok, I am lost in my Music, let's try this again and we will sing a little slower". HA! it worked.....we slowed down and I realized I was in control of the tempo, not them. I kept my Tunes at a moderate tempo, despite many of them racing through the Songs. The most fun was when I asked if there were any Birthdays in August...they just looked at me. How about September, any Birthdays in September? October?....ok...lets go the other way, how about July? A hand went up and Hallelujah we had a Birthday. They all sang at the top of their lungs and it was so much fun, we did it 3 times!
Although I had a few mistakes here and there, it really went just fine. I am very hard on myself and expect perfection, but I had to let that go or I would have never gotten through the afternoon. I played for almost 2 hours without a break and while I was packing up, one of the Husbands came over to me and said, "did you see their reactions to your Harp?" "My wife has been here 3 years and that woman next to her in the wheelchair, I have never heard her utter a word, but today she was singing!" "Your Harp has such a power over us today". When I left the Senior Living I felt really good about my personal growth that I was forced to do that afternoon. I felt like I had left those beautiful people with joy in their hearts and an afternoon of fun, laughter and song. The Staff brought around Wine & Cheese, Cookies and Fruit to each of the Residents while I played. It was a very emotional day for me and you can be sure when the next "gig" offer comes, I will be asking for great detail before I accept the job!!! Now, back to my comfort zone......Therapeutic Music.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
There's a Lot to Learn
Thursday morning, August 29, 2013...muggy, dark and misty...but I hear the Sun is coming out soon!
2 weeks ago I bombarded my Mentor with a series of Reports to review and also various musical clips as a sample of what kind of Music I would play for a particular situation, be it Elder Care, Children, Critical Care...etc. I hadn't heard a word back from her and was considering contacting her one more time, just to make sure she was ok. Last night, she bombarded me with her responses!! lol
So my Reports got a glowing review, although she did catch a spelling mistake in someone's name. Spelling...that is still hanging over my head 50 years later...good grief. I was pleased with her response and was anxiously waiting for an email regarding my Music Clips. Hopefully they were going to be acceptable so I could move on and complete Level 1 to start my Internship.
Right before bed, I heard a series of Mail coming in to my phone....this could be it!! Yes, they were from my Mentor. She had responded to each clip individually. First one, Palliative Care Music- Unfamiliar and Non-Rhythmic. She loved it! It was again, a glowing review, Yipeeeeeee
Next, Children's Music - Familiar and Pulse Tempo. There were 3 tunes, Lullaby, This Old Man and Jesus Loves Me. Her response was not as praising...I have to remove Jesus Loves Me (I can have no Christian Hymns on my CD....who knew???) Lullaby was at a good tempo, This Old Man could go faster, as Children have a faster Heartbeat than Adults.....REDO!
General Music, 3 Tunes, Over the Rainbow, Love me Tender and Ode to Joy. They all fit the category of General and they all were played at an acceptable Pulse Tempo. Her only recommendation was for Ode to Joy I used a running upward chording to reach the top of my Harp and it seemed to her to be a bit "showy" for a Service Session. She thought it gave the piece a "performance" feel. I went back and listened to it again. I tend to disagree. If it were a Glissando, perhaps, but I felt my Chording was right on track in tempo and filled in several beats of silence. I am happy with it.
Unfamiliar Music, 3 Tunes. I picked 3 Celtic Tunes that I thought only another Musician would know. She was thrilled with the Selections, although she thought all of them were too fast. They ranged in the high 70-80's BPM...too fast for a sick person to digest. REDO!
Elder Care, 3 Tunes, Danny Boy, Jesus Loves Me and Amazing Grace......YEP, you guessed it...no Christian Hymns. I can keep Danny Boy but need to slow it down to a crawl....REDO!
So I have a lot of recording to do this weekend. I am so grateful for her feedback and she made many good criticisms on each Clip. I realize these are subject to opinion, but she has lots of experience in this field and is fully qualified to request these changes from me. I am going to shadow my supervisor at the Hospital on one of her shifts and I am thinking she will have her own way of approaching Bedside Therapeutic Music, however it should be very close to how I am being trained for this Service. I really like this program I am in as it's Founder feels the Internship really allows you to experience first hand the situations and the environments that you will be in, while you continue with your Courses.
I am so close and yet so far from my Internship. Unfortunately, NOHING I have done over this last year, counts towards my Internship Hours for my Course. You can not count any hours until you complete Level 1. I am so grateful to have these opportunities, as they are all learning experiences for me. There is a lot to learn.
2 weeks ago I bombarded my Mentor with a series of Reports to review and also various musical clips as a sample of what kind of Music I would play for a particular situation, be it Elder Care, Children, Critical Care...etc. I hadn't heard a word back from her and was considering contacting her one more time, just to make sure she was ok. Last night, she bombarded me with her responses!! lol
So my Reports got a glowing review, although she did catch a spelling mistake in someone's name. Spelling...that is still hanging over my head 50 years later...good grief. I was pleased with her response and was anxiously waiting for an email regarding my Music Clips. Hopefully they were going to be acceptable so I could move on and complete Level 1 to start my Internship.
Right before bed, I heard a series of Mail coming in to my phone....this could be it!! Yes, they were from my Mentor. She had responded to each clip individually. First one, Palliative Care Music- Unfamiliar and Non-Rhythmic. She loved it! It was again, a glowing review, Yipeeeeeee
Next, Children's Music - Familiar and Pulse Tempo. There were 3 tunes, Lullaby, This Old Man and Jesus Loves Me. Her response was not as praising...I have to remove Jesus Loves Me (I can have no Christian Hymns on my CD....who knew???) Lullaby was at a good tempo, This Old Man could go faster, as Children have a faster Heartbeat than Adults.....REDO!
General Music, 3 Tunes, Over the Rainbow, Love me Tender and Ode to Joy. They all fit the category of General and they all were played at an acceptable Pulse Tempo. Her only recommendation was for Ode to Joy I used a running upward chording to reach the top of my Harp and it seemed to her to be a bit "showy" for a Service Session. She thought it gave the piece a "performance" feel. I went back and listened to it again. I tend to disagree. If it were a Glissando, perhaps, but I felt my Chording was right on track in tempo and filled in several beats of silence. I am happy with it.
Unfamiliar Music, 3 Tunes. I picked 3 Celtic Tunes that I thought only another Musician would know. She was thrilled with the Selections, although she thought all of them were too fast. They ranged in the high 70-80's BPM...too fast for a sick person to digest. REDO!
Elder Care, 3 Tunes, Danny Boy, Jesus Loves Me and Amazing Grace......YEP, you guessed it...no Christian Hymns. I can keep Danny Boy but need to slow it down to a crawl....REDO!
So I have a lot of recording to do this weekend. I am so grateful for her feedback and she made many good criticisms on each Clip. I realize these are subject to opinion, but she has lots of experience in this field and is fully qualified to request these changes from me. I am going to shadow my supervisor at the Hospital on one of her shifts and I am thinking she will have her own way of approaching Bedside Therapeutic Music, however it should be very close to how I am being trained for this Service. I really like this program I am in as it's Founder feels the Internship really allows you to experience first hand the situations and the environments that you will be in, while you continue with your Courses.
I am so close and yet so far from my Internship. Unfortunately, NOHING I have done over this last year, counts towards my Internship Hours for my Course. You can not count any hours until you complete Level 1. I am so grateful to have these opportunities, as they are all learning experiences for me. There is a lot to learn.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Hand-in-Hand with Medicine
Wednesday afternoon, August 21, 2013...Summer is Back!! 90o and Muggy....
What a wonderful Session at Future Care. When I first got there, my favorite Lady was in the Dayroom with other Residents, listening to the TV. I've seen most of the Residents in that area that are mobile enough to be taken to the Dayroom. One lady I love in particular, she has a Baby Doll that sits in front of her on the table. She doesn't make many noises, but she smiles at this Doll, it's adorable. I can understand this and I bet she was a wonderful Mom.
Favorite Lady was happy to have me there, big grin when I told her I was there to play the Harp. (she is Blind). I haven't been there in 2 weeks so I was very worried when I went to the room to set up my Harp. Her Roommate was in very bad condition the last time I saw her so I was relieved to see her name still on the door. Much to my surprise, she was wide awake and alert, chatting away! Oh, I was so happy to see this. She was so thrilled I was there to play the Harp and she motioned for me to come closer so she could tell me, "another lady comes to play her harp but I don't like her music....I love your Music, but she is a nice lady"....hahahaha I cracked up!
After setting up and tuning, I had an Aid bring my fav lady into her room. I totally changed up my Tunes. I downloaded many new ones and added several Hymns. The first Tune was "Holy, Holy, Holy"....by the second time through she had her head back, eyes closed and a beautiful smile on her face. She is always so ridged that it's a thrill to see her body just relax and sink into the wheelchair. I told her roommate that I would put her to sleep quickly and she said, "nope, not today, I love your Music"....30 minutes later she was still awake! She never slept the entire 45 minutes. An Aid came in and we were asked to leave for about 30 minutes and I hadn't played my fav lady's favorite song, "Somewhere over the Rainbow" so I suggested to her companion that we take her to the Dayroom.
Here's where it gets good....the same Residents still sitting there listening to the TV...so we turned it down and I set up my Harp. You know the Lady that doesn't speak or make noises....YEP...she was trying to sing. I almost cried, it was so adorable and the entire time she was looking at the Baby Doll. There was a Gentleman in a wheelchair that was rocking back and forth to the point that we needed to move him before he ran into the Harp....he was loving the Music.
What I would do to be rich enough not to have to be paid for this Service. I wish I could spend everyday moving from bed to bed, giving peace, relaxation and a renewed spirit to all those in need. I have a very hard time understanding the lack of this basic need these Residents have. In other Cultures, Music goes hand in hand with Medicine...how did Western Medicine move so far away from other Cultures???? I want to be part of the Era of NEW Medicine, one that teaches every Doctor, Nurse, Caretaker, Therapist and even Home Companions about the value of Therapeutic Music.
What a wonderful Session at Future Care. When I first got there, my favorite Lady was in the Dayroom with other Residents, listening to the TV. I've seen most of the Residents in that area that are mobile enough to be taken to the Dayroom. One lady I love in particular, she has a Baby Doll that sits in front of her on the table. She doesn't make many noises, but she smiles at this Doll, it's adorable. I can understand this and I bet she was a wonderful Mom.
Favorite Lady was happy to have me there, big grin when I told her I was there to play the Harp. (she is Blind). I haven't been there in 2 weeks so I was very worried when I went to the room to set up my Harp. Her Roommate was in very bad condition the last time I saw her so I was relieved to see her name still on the door. Much to my surprise, she was wide awake and alert, chatting away! Oh, I was so happy to see this. She was so thrilled I was there to play the Harp and she motioned for me to come closer so she could tell me, "another lady comes to play her harp but I don't like her music....I love your Music, but she is a nice lady"....hahahaha I cracked up!
After setting up and tuning, I had an Aid bring my fav lady into her room. I totally changed up my Tunes. I downloaded many new ones and added several Hymns. The first Tune was "Holy, Holy, Holy"....by the second time through she had her head back, eyes closed and a beautiful smile on her face. She is always so ridged that it's a thrill to see her body just relax and sink into the wheelchair. I told her roommate that I would put her to sleep quickly and she said, "nope, not today, I love your Music"....30 minutes later she was still awake! She never slept the entire 45 minutes. An Aid came in and we were asked to leave for about 30 minutes and I hadn't played my fav lady's favorite song, "Somewhere over the Rainbow" so I suggested to her companion that we take her to the Dayroom.
Here's where it gets good....the same Residents still sitting there listening to the TV...so we turned it down and I set up my Harp. You know the Lady that doesn't speak or make noises....YEP...she was trying to sing. I almost cried, it was so adorable and the entire time she was looking at the Baby Doll. There was a Gentleman in a wheelchair that was rocking back and forth to the point that we needed to move him before he ran into the Harp....he was loving the Music.
What I would do to be rich enough not to have to be paid for this Service. I wish I could spend everyday moving from bed to bed, giving peace, relaxation and a renewed spirit to all those in need. I have a very hard time understanding the lack of this basic need these Residents have. In other Cultures, Music goes hand in hand with Medicine...how did Western Medicine move so far away from other Cultures???? I want to be part of the Era of NEW Medicine, one that teaches every Doctor, Nurse, Caretaker, Therapist and even Home Companions about the value of Therapeutic Music.
Friday, August 16, 2013
The Beauty of Technology
Friday morning, Aug 16, 2013....8:45 am and the 4th Glorious day in a row...geeze I hope there are no "paybacks" for this
I was thinking last night how wonderful it is to use my IPAD for all my Therapeutic Music. I haven't been out to the Hospital or Assisted Living at all this week. I've taken advantage of the deck work and stayed available to run downstairs and pick up dropped wood, spacers, pencils, nails etc. I've also spent a couple hours a day organizing my IPAD music into categories. I have an IPAD scanner that scans in a piece of music and saves it as a jpeg in my Photos. From the Photos album you can crop/rotate etc, just like you can for a Photo.
So from this Photo Album of Music, I created separate albums for the following:
"Assisted Living"
"General Harp Music"
"Children's Music"
"Unfamiliar" (used for Palliative Care Patients)
"Holiday Music"
"Popular Music"
"Love Songs"
"Religious Music" (in this Album I try to make it reflect all Religions)
Many of these Albums have some of the same Tunes, like Children's/Assisted Living/General Harp Music might all have "Happy Birthday" or "Twinkle Twinkle". Once the music is transferred over to an Album, then I go into that Album and arrange each Tune, according to what musical key it's written in. I start with the Key of F (Bb) and all Tunes that are in F go first....then a flip of one Lever and I return the Bb to a B which creates the Key of C (no sharps or flats)...all tunes in the Key of C are together and then with another flip of a Lever, I raise the F to an F# creating the Key of G....once again I raise another Lever from C to C# and I now have all tunes in the Key of D together!
For the Lever Harp, it's important to plan ahead so that your raising and lowering of the Lever doesn't slow you down or cause you to stop playing. While with a Patient, you want a constant rhythm to keep the heart rate and breathing steady. Now, all this is great but there are still "accidentals" in some of the music, these are Sharps and Flats that are not in the Key Signature of the Music....you have to get speedy and accurate and most of all, REMEMBER to put that Lever back in it's original spot!
This is all extremely time consuming, but I am almost done creating the Albums....then back into them to arrange the progression of Music into each Key. I am determined to finish today.
Now, once this is complete...when a new piece of music is scanned into the IPAD, I can move it to the proper Album...or two. In the ideal Therapeutic Music world, you would have all these Tunes memorized, and some of them I do have memorized, but not enough to leave my IPAD at home, lol It's just one easy swipe across my IPAD into the next Tune.....there is a smooth transition thanks to the beauty of technology......
I was thinking last night how wonderful it is to use my IPAD for all my Therapeutic Music. I haven't been out to the Hospital or Assisted Living at all this week. I've taken advantage of the deck work and stayed available to run downstairs and pick up dropped wood, spacers, pencils, nails etc. I've also spent a couple hours a day organizing my IPAD music into categories. I have an IPAD scanner that scans in a piece of music and saves it as a jpeg in my Photos. From the Photos album you can crop/rotate etc, just like you can for a Photo.
So from this Photo Album of Music, I created separate albums for the following:
"Assisted Living"
"General Harp Music"
"Children's Music"
"Unfamiliar" (used for Palliative Care Patients)
"Holiday Music"
"Popular Music"
"Love Songs"
"Religious Music" (in this Album I try to make it reflect all Religions)
Many of these Albums have some of the same Tunes, like Children's/Assisted Living/General Harp Music might all have "Happy Birthday" or "Twinkle Twinkle". Once the music is transferred over to an Album, then I go into that Album and arrange each Tune, according to what musical key it's written in. I start with the Key of F (Bb) and all Tunes that are in F go first....then a flip of one Lever and I return the Bb to a B which creates the Key of C (no sharps or flats)...all tunes in the Key of C are together and then with another flip of a Lever, I raise the F to an F# creating the Key of G....once again I raise another Lever from C to C# and I now have all tunes in the Key of D together!
For the Lever Harp, it's important to plan ahead so that your raising and lowering of the Lever doesn't slow you down or cause you to stop playing. While with a Patient, you want a constant rhythm to keep the heart rate and breathing steady. Now, all this is great but there are still "accidentals" in some of the music, these are Sharps and Flats that are not in the Key Signature of the Music....you have to get speedy and accurate and most of all, REMEMBER to put that Lever back in it's original spot!
This is all extremely time consuming, but I am almost done creating the Albums....then back into them to arrange the progression of Music into each Key. I am determined to finish today.
Now, once this is complete...when a new piece of music is scanned into the IPAD, I can move it to the proper Album...or two. In the ideal Therapeutic Music world, you would have all these Tunes memorized, and some of them I do have memorized, but not enough to leave my IPAD at home, lol It's just one easy swipe across my IPAD into the next Tune.....there is a smooth transition thanks to the beauty of technology......
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Can't Believe Your Leaving
Saturday, August 10, 2013 Sunny and Hot
Yesterday I played in the Main Hospital Lobby. I haven't been there in a few weeks, so it was good to be back with the awesome volunteers. They complained a little, but when I told them I had been at Assisted Living and Infusion, they all agreed the need is greater in those places. I love playing in the Lobby. You get such a variety of people coming and going. There is always a "meeting" going on somewhere in the Lobby. It's a great space to take care of business.
One thing I notice when I play there is my need to focus more. I don't think I ever get through one tune, without someone walking up to the Harp and making conversation. I am not sure how to get better at it, once my concentration is broken. Most people are so friendly and want to chat about the Harp and the IPAD is another conversation in itself. Yesterday I was playing "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", and a woman came up and asked if I was Irish. The conversation blossomed from there and in the middle of her giving me her lineage, she instructed me to continue playing, hahahaha NOT
This setting is quite different than Bedside Harping. There are other distractions for sure...the beeping machines, staff and family members, smells and emotions....but nothing is focused directly on the Harpist. We are left to watch the Patient and adjust the music accordingly, while all this is going on around us. It is a different kind of distraction.
The other thing I notice when I play in the Lobby is the lighting and my Harp Strings. My strings disappear into the floor, making it difficult to see them as separate strings. They actually make a mat that you can put under your Harp so that you have a solid background against your strings. In the Bedside setting, the rooms are usually low-light and I have column lighting that helps with that. It's very subtle but lights up the top of the strings.
While playing in the Lobby, there is always someone I know that passes by. That's the beauty of living in the area since 1977 and having 7 kids....you know a lot of people! Yesterday it was my Hairdresser on her way to visit her new Grandson, born on Tuesday....so she had a phone full of pics...awsome. Not long after that it was my Daughter's Mother-in-Law....we spent 40 minutes talking about our Grandchildren and by that time a storm was building so I needed to get my Harp in the Car....I was done for the day.
As I was leaving past the desk of Volunteers, they threw their hands up and said, "what? can't believe you are leaving, you hardly played any of our favorites" ......
Yesterday I played in the Main Hospital Lobby. I haven't been there in a few weeks, so it was good to be back with the awesome volunteers. They complained a little, but when I told them I had been at Assisted Living and Infusion, they all agreed the need is greater in those places. I love playing in the Lobby. You get such a variety of people coming and going. There is always a "meeting" going on somewhere in the Lobby. It's a great space to take care of business.
One thing I notice when I play there is my need to focus more. I don't think I ever get through one tune, without someone walking up to the Harp and making conversation. I am not sure how to get better at it, once my concentration is broken. Most people are so friendly and want to chat about the Harp and the IPAD is another conversation in itself. Yesterday I was playing "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", and a woman came up and asked if I was Irish. The conversation blossomed from there and in the middle of her giving me her lineage, she instructed me to continue playing, hahahaha NOT
This setting is quite different than Bedside Harping. There are other distractions for sure...the beeping machines, staff and family members, smells and emotions....but nothing is focused directly on the Harpist. We are left to watch the Patient and adjust the music accordingly, while all this is going on around us. It is a different kind of distraction.
The other thing I notice when I play in the Lobby is the lighting and my Harp Strings. My strings disappear into the floor, making it difficult to see them as separate strings. They actually make a mat that you can put under your Harp so that you have a solid background against your strings. In the Bedside setting, the rooms are usually low-light and I have column lighting that helps with that. It's very subtle but lights up the top of the strings.
While playing in the Lobby, there is always someone I know that passes by. That's the beauty of living in the area since 1977 and having 7 kids....you know a lot of people! Yesterday it was my Hairdresser on her way to visit her new Grandson, born on Tuesday....so she had a phone full of pics...awsome. Not long after that it was my Daughter's Mother-in-Law....we spent 40 minutes talking about our Grandchildren and by that time a storm was building so I needed to get my Harp in the Car....I was done for the day.
As I was leaving past the desk of Volunteers, they threw their hands up and said, "what? can't believe you are leaving, you hardly played any of our favorites" ......
Friday, August 9, 2013
Memories are a good thing.....
Friday morning....August 9, 2013 muggy muggy....it must be Summer?
Yesterday morning I went to the Infusion Center. Last week I showed up there on Thursday instead of Monday and the Nurses begged me to come back this week on Thursday instead. So no promises, but I did switch my schedule to accommodate them...my pleasure. When I walked in they all started clapping....they crack me up...."Yay...we got our Harpist". I love this side of Infusion, it's the large open room with cubbies and everyone can not only hear, but interact as a family. These Nurses are so wonderful and thoughtful to the Patients.
As I was playing "Moon River" a Patient was walking past me and stopped and told me his Wife had passed a couple years ago and that was "their" song. So I stopped and told him I would play another selection and he said, "oh no....keep playing, any chance to remember my wife is good, I still love that song". ok...choke choke We have no idea how much impact we can have in someone's life. A simple, well loved tune provides a beautiful memory of a lost loved one.
There were 2 Oncology Doctors that stopped to thank me...they were both singing, LOL And speaking of singing....the Nurses all sing. This is part of the reason my selections are so similar to those in Assisted Living. We all like tunes that we heard as children, "Twinkle Twinkle" to the Beatles, "And I Love Her" to the classics, "Moon River" to "Bridge Over Troubled Water". There is so much calm and peace that falls over this normally manic environment. This peacefulness not only effects the Patients, Nurses and Doctors.....but even the Staff delivering Food and Drink to the Patients....they linger a little longer in the Unit and sing along.
After 1 1/2 hrs....my fingers tell me it's time to go so I started packing up and a couple of the Nurses said, "what?? you are not leaving, you just got here" to which I replied, "there is blood on my strings" (just kidding) and I hear from behind the desk..."that's OK, we have lots of Bandaids...sit down" As I am packing up my Harp, I try to hit each cubby and say goodbye to the Patients. Every one of them were totally relaxed...that magic Harp had done it again....I guess Thursday is my new schedule, lol
Yesterday morning I went to the Infusion Center. Last week I showed up there on Thursday instead of Monday and the Nurses begged me to come back this week on Thursday instead. So no promises, but I did switch my schedule to accommodate them...my pleasure. When I walked in they all started clapping....they crack me up...."Yay...we got our Harpist". I love this side of Infusion, it's the large open room with cubbies and everyone can not only hear, but interact as a family. These Nurses are so wonderful and thoughtful to the Patients.
As I was playing "Moon River" a Patient was walking past me and stopped and told me his Wife had passed a couple years ago and that was "their" song. So I stopped and told him I would play another selection and he said, "oh no....keep playing, any chance to remember my wife is good, I still love that song". ok...choke choke We have no idea how much impact we can have in someone's life. A simple, well loved tune provides a beautiful memory of a lost loved one.
There were 2 Oncology Doctors that stopped to thank me...they were both singing, LOL And speaking of singing....the Nurses all sing. This is part of the reason my selections are so similar to those in Assisted Living. We all like tunes that we heard as children, "Twinkle Twinkle" to the Beatles, "And I Love Her" to the classics, "Moon River" to "Bridge Over Troubled Water". There is so much calm and peace that falls over this normally manic environment. This peacefulness not only effects the Patients, Nurses and Doctors.....but even the Staff delivering Food and Drink to the Patients....they linger a little longer in the Unit and sing along.
After 1 1/2 hrs....my fingers tell me it's time to go so I started packing up and a couple of the Nurses said, "what?? you are not leaving, you just got here" to which I replied, "there is blood on my strings" (just kidding) and I hear from behind the desk..."that's OK, we have lots of Bandaids...sit down" As I am packing up my Harp, I try to hit each cubby and say goodbye to the Patients. Every one of them were totally relaxed...that magic Harp had done it again....I guess Thursday is my new schedule, lol
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Mistakes don't matter at the end of the Day......
Tuesday afternoon, August 6, 2013..sitting at Beanrush Cafe with my Vanilla Latte...thanks for the extra calories Sandy and Betsy (they turned me onto this awesome place)
Today I spent a little over an hour with a Client I will call Angel. She will be celebrating her 51st Birthday at the end of the month. She suffered a Brain Aneurysm and is home in the care of her Family, her Husband and 5 Children. Angel requires complete care. I met her home PTherapist when I got there and she was delighted to have the Therapeutic Harp Music for Angel.
My Session with Angel was a generous Gift from a dear friend of Angel's and of mine. As you can imagine, Medical Bills are overwhelming for this family. I introduced myself to Angel and told her I was going to play the harp for her. She searched my face with her eyes and was very aware of my being there and speaking to her.
I started in the Key of F...playing in the lowest octave of the Harp. Angel reacted immediately to the Harp Sound and Vibrations. She listened carefully. The Daughters and her dear Friend were thrilled with her reactions. After a few minutes, her Daughter placed Angel's right hand on the Harp Column so she could feel the vibrations with her hand. She held it there for a few minutes and when her Daughter took her hand away, Angel put it back on!
There was a variety of Music, mostly Familiar played at about 80BPM...sometimes slower. I was so thrilled to watch the total relaxation and peace fall over the room...Angel peacefully listening and taking in all the good in the world around her. Her loving Daughters and Dear Friend surrounding her. The Harp was doing it's job in a powerful way.
Angel was trying to mouth the words to some of the songs. She started to drift to sleep and would startle awake, as if she didn't want to sleep through the Music. Eventually the magic of the Dolce Harp took over and Angel fell into a very deep sleep. I played for about 10 more minutes, allowing her to fall into her own peaceful world.
I have a Feedback Form that I ask Families to fill out while I am playing....these are some of the areas of impact the Family recorded: Relaxed, Peaceful Body Lanuage, Change in Facial Expression, Eye Searching, Changes in Communication Efforts, Steady Breathing Rhythm and Drifted to Sleep.....
Now I wouldn't be fair to myself if I didn't critique my Harp Playing. I noticed there were so many times I was just thrilled to watch Angel's reaction...enough so that I would forget that I was playing...loose my place in the music and in my mind. It's a very hard thing to be observant of your Client and still focus on your Music...making changes in selections and choices as you go along. Good thing it's not about the Musician and ALL about the Service I am giving to this Client and her Family. My little mistakes were not noticeable to Angel...and that is all that matters at the end of the day.
Below is part of an email I received last night from my most generous friend that gifted my Service to Angel...it can't get better than this:
"oh Jackie,
It was everything that I had hoped for and then some! To see XXXXXX mouthing the words to some of the songs….. I cried just about the whole time."
Today I spent a little over an hour with a Client I will call Angel. She will be celebrating her 51st Birthday at the end of the month. She suffered a Brain Aneurysm and is home in the care of her Family, her Husband and 5 Children. Angel requires complete care. I met her home PTherapist when I got there and she was delighted to have the Therapeutic Harp Music for Angel.
My Session with Angel was a generous Gift from a dear friend of Angel's and of mine. As you can imagine, Medical Bills are overwhelming for this family. I introduced myself to Angel and told her I was going to play the harp for her. She searched my face with her eyes and was very aware of my being there and speaking to her.
I started in the Key of F...playing in the lowest octave of the Harp. Angel reacted immediately to the Harp Sound and Vibrations. She listened carefully. The Daughters and her dear Friend were thrilled with her reactions. After a few minutes, her Daughter placed Angel's right hand on the Harp Column so she could feel the vibrations with her hand. She held it there for a few minutes and when her Daughter took her hand away, Angel put it back on!
There was a variety of Music, mostly Familiar played at about 80BPM...sometimes slower. I was so thrilled to watch the total relaxation and peace fall over the room...Angel peacefully listening and taking in all the good in the world around her. Her loving Daughters and Dear Friend surrounding her. The Harp was doing it's job in a powerful way.
Angel was trying to mouth the words to some of the songs. She started to drift to sleep and would startle awake, as if she didn't want to sleep through the Music. Eventually the magic of the Dolce Harp took over and Angel fell into a very deep sleep. I played for about 10 more minutes, allowing her to fall into her own peaceful world.
I have a Feedback Form that I ask Families to fill out while I am playing....these are some of the areas of impact the Family recorded: Relaxed, Peaceful Body Lanuage, Change in Facial Expression, Eye Searching, Changes in Communication Efforts, Steady Breathing Rhythm and Drifted to Sleep.....
Now I wouldn't be fair to myself if I didn't critique my Harp Playing. I noticed there were so many times I was just thrilled to watch Angel's reaction...enough so that I would forget that I was playing...loose my place in the music and in my mind. It's a very hard thing to be observant of your Client and still focus on your Music...making changes in selections and choices as you go along. Good thing it's not about the Musician and ALL about the Service I am giving to this Client and her Family. My little mistakes were not noticeable to Angel...and that is all that matters at the end of the day.
Below is part of an email I received last night from my most generous friend that gifted my Service to Angel...it can't get better than this:
"oh Jackie,
It was everything that I had hoped for and then some! To see XXXXXX mouthing the words to some of the songs….. I cried just about the whole time."
Monday, August 5, 2013
Expect the Unexpected and claim it
Monday afternoon, August 5, 2013...really AWESOME August Weather!!!
Today I had an appointment to play for my sweet lady in Assisted living and to also meet one of her other Daughters for the first time. I was also supposed to meet to the Activities Director who had called me last week asking about my Services. My appointment was at 2:15 to play for my Patient, but I got there a bit early and spoke to the A. D. who asked why I was there on a day with scheduled Music for the Residents. Apparently there were 10 Musicians and Singers in the Dining Room setting up for an hour's Concert, one that the Ambulatory Residents look forward to........that would include my Patient.
I decided to stick my head in her room and check on her Roommate who is very ill. She was very restless so I spoke to her and asked if she would like me to play my Harp for her. She smiled and thanked me...so I got started. A Nurse came in to check on her and I introduced myself to him and asked him if there were any other Bedridden Patients in that Wing that couldn't go to enjoy the Concert in the Dining Room....he was awesome and took me to 3 rooms down the Hall, thanked me for being there and left me trying to decide who to approach first. My instincts were correct. A lovely lady, alone in her room heard me walk in so I introduced myself and asked if she was interested in a little Harp Music.
She lit up like the Sun, so I will call her Sunshine. So I told her I would be back in about 1/2 hr to play for her but I wanted to finish playing for someone else first. She smiled and said ok, but are you coming back? So after about 30 min. I went to Sunshine's room and she was resting with her eyes closed and I wasn't sure if I should wake her, but she heard me when I got close to the bed and was thrilled to see the Harp. She told me she didn't think I was really coming back, lots of people say that but they never do she told me. OK, that was hard to hear. Sunshine was so engaged with the Music. I started off with some Unfamiliar Music, just to get her used to the sound of the Harp and to feel it's vibrations. After about 10 minutes I started with some familiar love songs...to which she sang with each one. And although my Music is continuous, she clapped after each song! About 20 minutes into this Session, a family member came in and was thrilled to see the Bedside Harping. I stayed about another 10 minutes and left with the hope that I would stick my head in the door next week and possibly try to play for her again.
Today was an unexpected turn of events....I could have just turned around and gone home.....but I am so blessed and honored to have played for these two women that would not have otherwise enjoyed the peace and relaxing vibrations of the Harp today. I turned an unexpected day into an exceptional day....Yipeeeeeee
Today I had an appointment to play for my sweet lady in Assisted living and to also meet one of her other Daughters for the first time. I was also supposed to meet to the Activities Director who had called me last week asking about my Services. My appointment was at 2:15 to play for my Patient, but I got there a bit early and spoke to the A. D. who asked why I was there on a day with scheduled Music for the Residents. Apparently there were 10 Musicians and Singers in the Dining Room setting up for an hour's Concert, one that the Ambulatory Residents look forward to........that would include my Patient.
I decided to stick my head in her room and check on her Roommate who is very ill. She was very restless so I spoke to her and asked if she would like me to play my Harp for her. She smiled and thanked me...so I got started. A Nurse came in to check on her and I introduced myself to him and asked him if there were any other Bedridden Patients in that Wing that couldn't go to enjoy the Concert in the Dining Room....he was awesome and took me to 3 rooms down the Hall, thanked me for being there and left me trying to decide who to approach first. My instincts were correct. A lovely lady, alone in her room heard me walk in so I introduced myself and asked if she was interested in a little Harp Music.
She lit up like the Sun, so I will call her Sunshine. So I told her I would be back in about 1/2 hr to play for her but I wanted to finish playing for someone else first. She smiled and said ok, but are you coming back? So after about 30 min. I went to Sunshine's room and she was resting with her eyes closed and I wasn't sure if I should wake her, but she heard me when I got close to the bed and was thrilled to see the Harp. She told me she didn't think I was really coming back, lots of people say that but they never do she told me. OK, that was hard to hear. Sunshine was so engaged with the Music. I started off with some Unfamiliar Music, just to get her used to the sound of the Harp and to feel it's vibrations. After about 10 minutes I started with some familiar love songs...to which she sang with each one. And although my Music is continuous, she clapped after each song! About 20 minutes into this Session, a family member came in and was thrilled to see the Bedside Harping. I stayed about another 10 minutes and left with the hope that I would stick my head in the door next week and possibly try to play for her again.
Today was an unexpected turn of events....I could have just turned around and gone home.....but I am so blessed and honored to have played for these two women that would not have otherwise enjoyed the peace and relaxing vibrations of the Harp today. I turned an unexpected day into an exceptional day....Yipeeeeeee
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Highs and Lows
Thursday afternoon, August 1, 2013....My Grandson Ethan's 11th Birthday....aww how lucky I am
Whew.....what an emotional roller coaster today at Infusion. I was packed up and left the house around 9:15....rain had ended, or so I thought. As soon as I took my Harp out of the car, the skies opened up...it poured. I was in the Garage, however I have to walk this outdoor walkway from the Parking Garage to the Infusion Building, which is NOT covered! No way to hold and umbrella and my Harp so I just waited until the rain let up.
When I got off the elevator, the waiting room was packed. It's always hard to tell if they are Patients or friends and family waiting for their loved one to finish up. Everyone is always happy and lots of "good mornings". From the waiting room you can go right to one side of the Infusion Building...a large open room with lots of little cubbies with a curtain you can pull for privacy. The Nurses Station is in the Middle of the room. To the left is another wing of the Infusion....small, private rooms down the hallways with a door you can close. That's where I head to unpack my harp at the end of the Hallway.
Here is a Low.....As I was walking down the hall I heard a lady crying, throwing up and coughing like crazy. She was completely spent. Can I tell you, these brave souls humble me. My heart broke for her. In the next room was a middle-aged couple, he was receiving the Chemo and his wife was keeping him company. She was thrilled to see the Harp and very excited to have some music. Here is a High....Her husband smiled when she told him, but clearly she was more excited than he was, LOL
It's customary to ask if the Patient would like to have some Harp Music, especially when you are playing right outside their door. So I asked the Patient that was having such difficulty if she wanted Harp Music.....she said "No"...."thank you anyway". It was sheer exhaustion talking. I could tell she thought she would have to interact with me somehow, and just didn't have the strength. So I said ok and mentioned the Nurse could shut her door because I would be right down the hall.
I set up in front of the couple's room and the Nurse assigned to several patients on that wing, came to me and said, "I am so glad you are here, the lady you spoke with is having such a terrible time today, she really needs you". So I warmed up, relaxed as much as possible and started my Session with "Moon River"....ok...Here is a High....the Patient's wife starts singing at the top of her lungs!!! She was LOVING the Music and her Husband told her to quiet down, she was disturbing the other Patients and distracting me from my Music....I was laughing so hard, which just encouraged her to sing louder. We did get her to settle down a bit and slowly a peacefulness washed over the wing of Infusion. The Nurse came around and turned out the lights in their rooms....the Wife is resting in her chair now with her head back and her eyes closed. The BEST HIGH......the Nurse came to me and said, "thank you, the Patient that was so sick is resting now and is no longer crying" Keep Playing!!!!!
I played for 1 1/2 hrs...by this time the Wife and I are good friends....she is standing behind me singing any song that had words. (softly)...every time the Nurse would come our way, she would just double over laughing at the sight...me Harping and the Wife singing....then we here this unbelievably LOUD Snoring.....Another High....it's the Husband, sound asleep and the Wife is so embarrassed over his snoring she runs and shuts the door....ok...I lost it, laughed till I cried. I got up and hugged this lady and told her it was ok for him to snore, to open his door so he could hear the music and not to worry about it.
I was so grateful that the Harp vibrations reached the Patient who was sickest. She was very peaceful, not asleep but eyes closed and only occasionally did she cough. I felt it was ok for me to head home, as my fingers were on fire by this time! So I am packing up and a Nurse from the other wing come to me and says, "oh good, we need you on our wing".....to which I said, I'm leaving now. She said again, "we really need you on our wing, there is someone who is very sick and needs to relax" Another Low....it was a man that is there 3 times a week....very sick from the Chemo, not tolerating it well at all. His reaction to all this sickness was one of anger. He was loud and cursing. This is in the open area of the Infusion Center so everyone can hear him. Very unsettling for the other Patients that are just trying to be brave and get through their treatment.
I decided to set up close to this man, but not directly in front of him. I was kind of hoping he would WANT me to be closer to him after he listened for a bit. It took about 15 minutes and 3 familiar songs played twice..."Moon River"....."And I Love Her (Beatles) and "You are the Wind Beneath my Wings". Hahahahaha! Another High.......he was hooked. Not a peep out of this guy. I left with a little skin still on my fingers and such a light heart. More Highs than Lows......every little bit of a difference makes a more peaceful universe.
Whew.....what an emotional roller coaster today at Infusion. I was packed up and left the house around 9:15....rain had ended, or so I thought. As soon as I took my Harp out of the car, the skies opened up...it poured. I was in the Garage, however I have to walk this outdoor walkway from the Parking Garage to the Infusion Building, which is NOT covered! No way to hold and umbrella and my Harp so I just waited until the rain let up.
When I got off the elevator, the waiting room was packed. It's always hard to tell if they are Patients or friends and family waiting for their loved one to finish up. Everyone is always happy and lots of "good mornings". From the waiting room you can go right to one side of the Infusion Building...a large open room with lots of little cubbies with a curtain you can pull for privacy. The Nurses Station is in the Middle of the room. To the left is another wing of the Infusion....small, private rooms down the hallways with a door you can close. That's where I head to unpack my harp at the end of the Hallway.
Here is a Low.....As I was walking down the hall I heard a lady crying, throwing up and coughing like crazy. She was completely spent. Can I tell you, these brave souls humble me. My heart broke for her. In the next room was a middle-aged couple, he was receiving the Chemo and his wife was keeping him company. She was thrilled to see the Harp and very excited to have some music. Here is a High....Her husband smiled when she told him, but clearly she was more excited than he was, LOL
It's customary to ask if the Patient would like to have some Harp Music, especially when you are playing right outside their door. So I asked the Patient that was having such difficulty if she wanted Harp Music.....she said "No"...."thank you anyway". It was sheer exhaustion talking. I could tell she thought she would have to interact with me somehow, and just didn't have the strength. So I said ok and mentioned the Nurse could shut her door because I would be right down the hall.
I set up in front of the couple's room and the Nurse assigned to several patients on that wing, came to me and said, "I am so glad you are here, the lady you spoke with is having such a terrible time today, she really needs you". So I warmed up, relaxed as much as possible and started my Session with "Moon River"....ok...Here is a High....the Patient's wife starts singing at the top of her lungs!!! She was LOVING the Music and her Husband told her to quiet down, she was disturbing the other Patients and distracting me from my Music....I was laughing so hard, which just encouraged her to sing louder. We did get her to settle down a bit and slowly a peacefulness washed over the wing of Infusion. The Nurse came around and turned out the lights in their rooms....the Wife is resting in her chair now with her head back and her eyes closed. The BEST HIGH......the Nurse came to me and said, "thank you, the Patient that was so sick is resting now and is no longer crying" Keep Playing!!!!!
I played for 1 1/2 hrs...by this time the Wife and I are good friends....she is standing behind me singing any song that had words. (softly)...every time the Nurse would come our way, she would just double over laughing at the sight...me Harping and the Wife singing....then we here this unbelievably LOUD Snoring.....Another High....it's the Husband, sound asleep and the Wife is so embarrassed over his snoring she runs and shuts the door....ok...I lost it, laughed till I cried. I got up and hugged this lady and told her it was ok for him to snore, to open his door so he could hear the music and not to worry about it.
I was so grateful that the Harp vibrations reached the Patient who was sickest. She was very peaceful, not asleep but eyes closed and only occasionally did she cough. I felt it was ok for me to head home, as my fingers were on fire by this time! So I am packing up and a Nurse from the other wing come to me and says, "oh good, we need you on our wing".....to which I said, I'm leaving now. She said again, "we really need you on our wing, there is someone who is very sick and needs to relax" Another Low....it was a man that is there 3 times a week....very sick from the Chemo, not tolerating it well at all. His reaction to all this sickness was one of anger. He was loud and cursing. This is in the open area of the Infusion Center so everyone can hear him. Very unsettling for the other Patients that are just trying to be brave and get through their treatment.
I decided to set up close to this man, but not directly in front of him. I was kind of hoping he would WANT me to be closer to him after he listened for a bit. It took about 15 minutes and 3 familiar songs played twice..."Moon River"....."And I Love Her (Beatles) and "You are the Wind Beneath my Wings". Hahahahaha! Another High.......he was hooked. Not a peep out of this guy. I left with a little skin still on my fingers and such a light heart. More Highs than Lows......every little bit of a difference makes a more peaceful universe.
The Value in Mentorship
Thursday morning, August 1, 2013....cloudy and rainy...my flowers and trees are so happy!
Yesterday I had my first meeting via Skype with my Mentor from the Course I am taking, Certified Clinical Musician. When I was researching different Courses offered, both on line and locally, this is one of the reasons I chose Harp for Healing. My Mentor is from Wyoming!
So we had the WORST Skype connection. We got dropped about 30x's in 2 hrs...yep! I believe it was her wifi...then her router battery died.....we had some good laughs over it but we were determined to reconnect so we could finish our business. I suppose we could have just used the phone, but this really was way better, she was able to go to her Harp and answer some music theory questions I had regarding transitioning into different keys. I was doing it one way, she showed me another pattern....I like my way better, lol, but I am grateful to have a new tool to try out...I think I will use them both.
I had a list of questions and we got to all of them. I have a much better idea of where I am at in the Course and I am happy to say, I am right on target! The Level 1 is 6 mo to a year to complete...I am hoping to be done in September....that will be 4 months from start to finish...then starts my Internship and Level 2.
Some of the things I asked her about were situations in the Infusion Center, Assisted Living and Private Clients. She was awesome! She had so many great suggestions on how to cover a large area like the Infusion Center and not be intrusive or disruptive. One of the challenges I face when I am playing in the Assisted Living is that there are rarely Private Rooms. Which means that your Patient may need one type of Therapeutic Music , but the roommate may require something totally different. If both Patients are bedridden, there is not much to be done, other than to adjust your Therapeutic Music to a happy medium. There are times when you will decide which Patient's needs are greatest that day, and work with them.
So I suggested if one Patient is mobile, via wheelchair, I could take them to a quiet area in the Facility...HA! there are not many areas like that. But my Mentor suggested the Chapel....of course....the Chapel....I love it! Another area we touched on was the length of time each Session should be. I have been doing 1 hr Sessions. I feel that is long enough....bordering on too long. So she agreed with that and suggested 30-45 min for the average Patient, less time if they are restless and more time, up to an hour, for the Patient that is engaged with the Music.
I was anxious to ask her how I was to approach a situation when someone is disrupting the Session, by chatting or taking phone calls in the room. She was really straight forward on this one...."tell them politely to take their conversation out in the hallway". OK then! For the one/one...she suggested that the quieter the environment, the more benefits the Patient receive. This is totally different in the Hospital Room setting where Staff and Family come and go constantly. I don't think I will be asking the Doc to leave the room... :))))
I am so thrilled to have this Mentor at my disposal, I would recommend this Program to anyone that is interested in Therapeutic Music......I already have more questions!
Yesterday I had my first meeting via Skype with my Mentor from the Course I am taking, Certified Clinical Musician. When I was researching different Courses offered, both on line and locally, this is one of the reasons I chose Harp for Healing. My Mentor is from Wyoming!
So we had the WORST Skype connection. We got dropped about 30x's in 2 hrs...yep! I believe it was her wifi...then her router battery died.....we had some good laughs over it but we were determined to reconnect so we could finish our business. I suppose we could have just used the phone, but this really was way better, she was able to go to her Harp and answer some music theory questions I had regarding transitioning into different keys. I was doing it one way, she showed me another pattern....I like my way better, lol, but I am grateful to have a new tool to try out...I think I will use them both.
I had a list of questions and we got to all of them. I have a much better idea of where I am at in the Course and I am happy to say, I am right on target! The Level 1 is 6 mo to a year to complete...I am hoping to be done in September....that will be 4 months from start to finish...then starts my Internship and Level 2.
Some of the things I asked her about were situations in the Infusion Center, Assisted Living and Private Clients. She was awesome! She had so many great suggestions on how to cover a large area like the Infusion Center and not be intrusive or disruptive. One of the challenges I face when I am playing in the Assisted Living is that there are rarely Private Rooms. Which means that your Patient may need one type of Therapeutic Music , but the roommate may require something totally different. If both Patients are bedridden, there is not much to be done, other than to adjust your Therapeutic Music to a happy medium. There are times when you will decide which Patient's needs are greatest that day, and work with them.
So I suggested if one Patient is mobile, via wheelchair, I could take them to a quiet area in the Facility...HA! there are not many areas like that. But my Mentor suggested the Chapel....of course....the Chapel....I love it! Another area we touched on was the length of time each Session should be. I have been doing 1 hr Sessions. I feel that is long enough....bordering on too long. So she agreed with that and suggested 30-45 min for the average Patient, less time if they are restless and more time, up to an hour, for the Patient that is engaged with the Music.
I was anxious to ask her how I was to approach a situation when someone is disrupting the Session, by chatting or taking phone calls in the room. She was really straight forward on this one...."tell them politely to take their conversation out in the hallway". OK then! For the one/one...she suggested that the quieter the environment, the more benefits the Patient receive. This is totally different in the Hospital Room setting where Staff and Family come and go constantly. I don't think I will be asking the Doc to leave the room... :))))
I am so thrilled to have this Mentor at my disposal, I would recommend this Program to anyone that is interested in Therapeutic Music......I already have more questions!
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