Music & Memory Program Brings Joy and Excitement to Hospice Patients
Akron, OH (PRWEB) July 06, 2015 -- Thanks to donations and a generous grant from the GAR Foundation, Senior Independence Home Health and Hospice received the Music & Memory Certification for hospice patients and adult day center participants.
The Music & Memory program is committed to bringing the power of music not only to patients but also to their families and volunteers. Music & Memory is a non-profit organization that helps provide patients with personal iPods that contain personalized playlists tailored to them. The program’s innovative approach to dementia care helps patients reconnect with their forgotten memories and the world around them.
Professional care givers are required to have a certification to offer the program and can request assistance from the Ohio Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to cover cost of certification, start-up, or both. The program’s start-up-kit includes iPod Shuffles, headphones, small portable speakers, and gift cards to purchase the music to include on the patients playlists.
Volunteers with the program talk with patients or their families to discover which artists and genres are their favorites or most meaningful to them, and then create a personalized playlist for each patient.
The personalized playlists help patients reconnect to the world through memories and reawaken them through music. Research shows that using music in care leads to lasting, caring relationships which can lead to reduced medications and most importantly improves the care for everyone involved.
Music & Memory might seem simple but the differences that this music is making in the lives of the patients are outstanding. According to research, music provides many therapeutic benefits including enjoyment but can also reduce negative symptoms including isolation, agitation, and anxiety.
One Senior Independence Hospice patient claimed that she wasn’t a fan of music at all, but after the volunteer gave her some Frank Sinatra to listen to, she said that she did indeed like music. Another patient was observed by staff as being agitated but when the volunteer brought her music to listen to she started singing along and lit up the whole room.
“I always feel happy when I see a patient’s face light up when you play them a song that they recognize,” said Lynne Busic, Senior Independence Hospice intern following a Music & Memory visit. “I am really excited that this Music & Memory program has enabled patients to travel back to their past through music. I always heard about how powerful music is, but seeing it in person is amazing!”
Music & Memory volunteers help improve and enrich the lives of Senior Independence Hospice patients by bringing them music, creating personalized playlists, downloading music, donating gently used music CDs and general upkeep of Music & Memory equipment. If interested in becoming a Music & Memory volunteer, please contact Daphne Massaro, Volunteer Coordinator at 330.873.3468, or at [email protected].
For more information about Music & Memory, please visit http://www.musicandmemory.org.
About Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services
Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services (OPRS) serves more than 73,000 people annually through its wholly owned subsidiaries OPRS Communities and Senior Independence. OPRS Communities operates 12 retirement communities. Senior Independence Home Health & Hospice provides home and community-based services, operates five adult day centers and manages two senior centers, in partnership with local governments. In addition, Senior Independence services are extended nationwide through its iPartners. Another wholly owned subsidiary, the OPRS Foundation raises several million dollars annually to support charity care, special programs, capital expansion and endowment.
Daphne Massaro, Senior Independence, http://www.seniorindependence.org/, 330-873-3468, [email protected]
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