Celebrating life stories through music.

Music has always been a meaningful part of my life. I have been studying and performing since the age of five, but it was not until I was an adult, when my father was approaching the end of his life, that I realized just how profound the connection to music can be. While my father’s health was in decline, our strongest connections came from listening to music together. Listening to music that he had grown up with in his native country of Tunisia was especially meaningful. We were able to form new connections and learn from each other, and the music allowed him to reminisce about his life. I also remember hearing Quranic recitation from the minarets at prayer time during my childhood visits to Tunisia with my father. The same environment was recreated in our home during his final days, with family from overseas coming to visit us in our home in Buffalo, New York. The Quranic verses recited from a CD player in our living room helped create an environment of calm, reflection, and prayer as my family was brought closer during his final days and hours. It wasn’t until later, when I was approached with a new project by The Center for Hospice & Palliative Care (CHPC), that I was able to truly reflect on this experience and the memories they elicited. CHPC’s Expressive Therapies Department has an extensive music therapy program which provides patients and families with therapeutic interventions to address a spectrum of clinical needs. The department further aimed to facilitate a widespread means of impacting the auditory experience of the care environments. Through generous funding from a private donor, CHPC started their own version of a program, Music & Memory (M&M), previously created for residents with dementia in the nursing home setting. M&M is a nonprofit organization created by Dan Cohen as a means of providing patients with personalized music through the use of digital music technology. My role, under the guidance of a licensed music therapist, was to implement and coordinate a modified version of the M&M program to offer patients and families the opportunity to access personalized music in one of our care environments. The M&M program is based on research showing a strong neurological bond between music and the brain. It is a bond that remains powerful even when brain function is declining due to illnesses such as dementia. It is not uncommon for patients who are not responsive to their environment to be ‘‘brought back to life,’’ so to speak, with a song that conjures up memories from the past. Equally powerful is the positive impact of personalized music on patients’ overall well-being. Our program was implemented at one of CHPC’s hospice inpatient units, and was offered to patients, regardless of their diagnosis. Working with patients and their families reminded me of my own experiences with my father and how much joy and comfort music brought to our lives. I have seen patients, families, and staff transformed as a result of this program. One patient, George (names have been changed to maintain confidentiality), came into our St. John Baptist Hospice Inpatient Unit (SJB) with clear cognitive decline. His wife, Mary, would visit faithfully every day, from early in the morning until late in the evening. It was difficult for her to speak of her husband of 50 plus years without becoming tearful. After meeting with Mary and George, I discovered that he had been an accomplished musician, having played the accordion for many years. I offered to provide some of the music that he had loved to play so much. Mary was doubtful that the music would even be available, but using an iTunes database, an iPod , and a set of speakers, I was able to create a custom playlist and upload some of his favorite accordion songs. I set up the speakers on his bedside table, hooked up the iPod , and began playing the music. The effect was immediate and moving. George relaxed, closed his eyes, and began tapping rhythmically in response to the familiar songs. Throughout his stay at SJB, Mary frequently asked that music be provided for her and George. She began to share videos and pictures of her husband and family as well as stories of his musicianship. Even after her husband’s death, Mary continues to visit SJB and each time we see her we are able to reflect fondly about her late husband and the music they shared. Another patient, Charles, was admitted to SJB under very different circumstances. Having immigrated to this country almost 30 years prior, Charles had no family, very few friends, and little support. When he was admitted to SJB, he was still coming to terms with the fact that he was quickly approaching the end of his life. He was very guarded, not sharing much of his personal life with staff. During our first meeting, Charles was apathetic and withdrawn, but named a few obscure artists he listened to while growing up in his native country. I was again able to track down his favorite musicians and presented him with this music on an iPod with a pair of headphones. Upon first hearing the music, his face immediately lit up. We began spending time together, walking the halls of the unit and speaking about the music, his