Music Therapy at a Skilled Nursing Facility in Idaho

I started music therapy for at a skilled nursing facility yesterday.  It was my first time working with them, and it was exciting to see their reactions.  It was great to see how music therapy helps people who normally do not interact to make eye contact, sing, and talk about their lives.

The was one resident in particular who had an amazing interaction.  The facility wheeled in a woman who was sleeping.  The activity director said that she has never seen the resident interact with anybody in any way as long as she has been working there (around 9 months).  During the session, there were two times that the resident mouthed the words to the song.  The staff was amazed.  It was great to be able to facilitate a connection with someone who has been so isolated for so long.

Music Therapy and Dementia in Eagle, Idaho

It is exciting to meet people for the first time and see there reaction to the music therapy.  I recently started working with a man in the later stages of dementia.  He could verbalize one to two word phrases and they were all out of context.  In short he had a disconnection with people and the world around him.  But because music therapy is awesome (I'm pretty sure there is research that proves it is awesome), as soon as the music began his face lit up and he sang with me for the entire session.  The music made a connection with him, and he was able to make meaningful connection with his wife through the music as well.

Radio Podcast

Please check out me on the radio on a program called Piece of Mind.  Here is the podcast:http://pieceofmind.me/ftp___pieceofmind.me/Podcast/Entries/2012/5/12_Matthew_Jordan_Music_Therapist__Music_as_Medicine.html

In the podcast I talk about music therapy and play some of the music that I have done with people.  It was interesting to be on the radio.  I've never been in a radio station before.  I don't know how much sense I made because I was really nervous.

Smiles through music therapy

Great things in life happen in small moments.  One of my favorite things while doing music therapy is seeing the smiles.  Smiles for most people is a regular occurrence, but for some people smiles rarely happen.  They are stuck in confusion through dementia or frustration because of a stroke.  Sometimes it just difficulty connecting with people.  It is amazing when I see these people smile.  I just love being able to see a change from frustration, confusion, pain, or disconnection to eye contact and a big smile.  Smiles are a thing that most people take for granted, but I have seen smiles that were miraculous.

Music therapy and dementia patients in Nampa

While working with clients who have dementia, I have seen many connections made.  While doing music with them connections are the rule not the exception.  I remember seeing a patient in Nampa for the first time.  She lived with her husband of 60 years who was looking for some way to reconnect with her.  Almost immediately as I started doing music, the client began to sing.  A shock look came on the husbands face and he began to cry.  During the session he kept looking at his wife and saying, "See you do remember.  You do remember."  I love being able to give people those chances to reconnect and break through the barriers that come with dementia.