Upon the tragic passing of Jess Ainscough yesterday I feel compelled to briefly discuss the importance of death literacy.
Today social media has been inundated with posts, reports and media coverages about her death and I am pleasantly amazed that not once have I come across the phrase "lost her battle to cancer".
Why do we insist on using this phrase? It is personally degrading, represents failure, encourages negative death literacy and most of all describes nothing of the strength, bravery, self respect, love and freedom that is experienced within one's final moments of life.
It is time to really think about the words we use when describing someone else's death. Death comes to us all and as such we must find a way to talk about it fearlessly and gracefully.
Would you want your own death to be described as 'losing a battle"??
http://www.thegroundswellproject.com/
Showing posts with label Communication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Communication. Show all posts
Friday, February 27, 2015
Friday, October 10, 2014
33 reasons why Making Mouth Noises is NOT just for kids...
Making mouth noises is NOT just for kids - easier and less embarrassing, yes - but just as therapeutic for grownups! Mouth noise games are absolute crackers! I played them on the weekend with kids at Camp Quality, I played them last year with carers at a palliatve care conference and I've played them with adults in clinical health settings. Here are a few reasons why...
* Is an EXCELLENT self care technique
* Is something almost anyone can do - even those who don't speak.
* Is an outlet for verbal self expression
* Is a physical workout for the entire body
* Helps create confidence and break down self-consciousness
* Excellent for developing team-building dynamics
* Can be done in groups OR individually
* Puts participants out of their comfort zones
* Is an engaging and novel activity
* Almost certainly creates genuine laughter
* Can create genuine tears
* Provides clients with a tool they can use in the future
* Has the power to either stimulate or relax
* Validates emotions
* Requires no equipment, set-up or particular setting
* Communicating in 'no-language' has less expressive limitations than language.
* Can assist in clarifying emotions
* Has the potential to develop fine and gross motor coordination
* In a group setting creates a sense of equality and acceptance
* Is a great vocal warm up
* Brings out your inner child
* Can help develop the spiritual sense of community
* Is excellent for communicating to babies with
* Mimicking other's sounds makes them feel listened to.
* Helps clients learn more about their verbal abilities
* Is an activity everyone can succeed in
* Can be done in private (the shower, car, home alone etc.)
* Requires no facilitation
* Allows you to let go
* Engages clients congitively and creatively
* Helps express individuality
* Is appropriate for any age, culture, language, background, developmental ability...
* Is so much fun!
Not convinced? Have a go at a mouth noise game and see how you feel...
CIRCLE GAMES
* One person choose an animal noise for the whole group to make together. The next person choose a different animal noise for the group to make together. Then the next person another etc. (actions more than welcome)
* Copy the above exercise but substitute animals with laughs (ie. The evil laugh, the santa clause, the witch, the giggling girt, the snort, the knee slapper, the gasp for breath, the hyena etc...
* Copy the above exercise but substitute laughs with human noises (ie. The burp, the sneeze, the whistle, the cough, the cry, the sigh, the tongue click, the teeth chatter, the squeal, the raspberry, the snore etc...)
* Copy the above exercise but substitute laughs with cries (ie. The sob, the weep, the hysterical, the sniffle, the wail etc...)
VOLUME GAMES* Looking at the ground make the softest noise you can - any noise - it doesn't have to be the same as the rest of the group. Collectively make your noises louder and louder and bring your heads up until you're shouting your loudest possible noises at the sky.
* Look at the sky and shout your loudest, best feeling. (ie. I FEEL AMAZING!! I FEEL ALIVE!!! I FEEL BEAUTIFUL!!! I FEEL HAPPY!!!)
* Have a conversation completely in whispers.
FACIAL GAMES
* Have a conversation completely in silly noises (with eyebrows).
* Make funny mouth noises and create funny faces to match them.
* Making eye contact play the ultimate 'sibling game' of copying. (Oh the memories; "Stop copying me!" "Stop copying me!")
RELEASE YOUR INNER FEELINGS 'GAMES'
* Scream.
* Sigh.
* Moan.
* Sob.
* Keen.
* Pant.
Do these whenever you need and however you like.
Enjoy!!!
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Dying to Know: Lets talk about death...
August 8th is Dying to Know Day. A remarkable project initiated by The Groundswell Project.
Remarkable in that it aims to encourage us to DISCUSS DEATH! Something we almost ALWAYS shy away from, (not to mention squirm in our seats, change the subject, try and ignore, blush, stutter, look at the ground, talk too much or too fast, oh and did I mention change the subject?)!
9 out of 10 people never tell anyone their end of life wishes.45% of people die without a will.
80% of people wish to die at home yet only 20% do.
Perhaps if we could discuss death more openly these figures would balance out a bit? Perhaps we'd also feel more confident in supporting others? Perhaps we may even fear death less?!
Who knows - lets try it!
HOMEWORK: Below are a few common and confusing scenarios/discussion points.Your homework this week is to bring up one of these topics at the dinner table, have an interactive chat, see where you end up...
.... Deep breath, HERE WE GO...
'Ignoring' the bereaved
* Don't want to say the wrong thing?
* Don't want to cry, don't want to 'not' cry, don't know what to do?
* Don't know the family well enough to contact them?
* Didn't know the deceased well enough to contact the family?
* Left it too long and now don't know how to bring it up?
* Feeling guilty about any/all of the above yet I'm doing them anyway?
I don't think I'm meant to feel this sad!
* I didn't really know them, I shouldn't really be feeling like this!
* They lived a good life, died peacefully, an end to their suffering, aren't I meant to be happy for them!?
* Billy had a stronger relationship with the deceased, I should appear to be less affected than Billy...
* It's been a long time since Katie died, I must appear to seem more 'together' to the general public...
I think I'm meant to feel MORE sad!
* I'm not responding the same way the others are. Am I heartless? Insensitive? Should I try harder?
* Its on the news, it's a disaster, in theory I'm devastated, in reality I actually don't FEEL anything.
* Actually I didn't really like them, am I meant to pretend now that I did??
Being strong for someone else.
* Can I do it and still properly address my own emotional needs?
* Will I miss out on getting to grieve with everyone else and have to do it later by myself?
* Is it actually what the 'someone else' wants?
Funeral Etiquette
* Look at the roof, look at the roof, don't cry, don't cry...
* I'll just stand at the back so I don't have to see the coffin or the family...
* I won't go over to the bereaved family, they'll have so many people wanting to talk to them...
* Is what I'm wearing OK? Is it too black? Is it not black enough??
Asking for Support
* I don't want to tell anyone about this, it's too depressing and I'm always the cheerful one...
* I can't ask for their support, it'll make them feel awkward...
* No one can say or do anything to make it better anyway so why bother...
Now, I know what's potentially going to happen here! You've just read this and identified with a few of the points, think it's a great idea and something that really should be talked about. "I'm going to do this tonight" you're thinking... But tonight comes and the subject matter seems too intense and you decide to give it a miss...
STOP! DON'T DO THAT! HAVE THE TALK!!!
You may just be surprised how refreshing such a conversation can be.
And you never know, someone at your table may just be dying to have this conversation...
(Visit D2K Day on facebook here and find a Dying to Know Day event near you)
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Young People in Care - where is the line between PATRONISING and OK???
I'm confused at the moment about the line between 'patronising' and 'ok'.
When someone has neurological damage or degeneration it can be impossible to understand their receptive abilities, the depth of decline in their cognition and their emotional needs - so we go on what we and the broader multidisciplinary team know about them, what we assume they may need and what we assume they are able to engage in or benefit from.
There literally is no other way to do it. 1) OR IS THERE????
When someone has neurological damage or degeneration the spectrum of MT interventions we can use with them can be greatly reduced. (Naturally as creative, fabulous and professional therapists we adapt to make them more accessible but overall the spectrum is reduced). Anything that requires cognitive or fine motor physical engagement can be difficult. Any intervention that requires more than a single session can be difficult. We can't implement interventions successfully if we believe the client is unable to participate in them or understand them. 2) OR CAN WE????
In particular when we work with young adults in this state of neurological damage or degeneration we find ourselves simplifying things, in the same way that we may do with young children or the elderly. 3) WHERE IS THE LINE BETWEEN PATRONISING AND OK IN THIS INSTANCE????
These questions come to mind at a time when one of my 'besties' is admitted to full time care.
I have worked with quite a few clients with the same degenerative condition that bestie has and have found myself using shakers, tambourines and drums and singing songs from earlier times in their lives because I feel they better connect with their long term memories and find those songs to be more familiar. I've found those clients appear to engage positively in this simple kind of music intervention. 4) BUT HOW CAN WE KNOW THAT TO SOME EXTENT ON THE INSIDE THEY AREN'T SCREAMING "COME ON WOMAN, I'M BASICALLY YOUR AGE, THIS IS BULLSHIT!"????
These questions come to mind at a time when the thought of someone shaking a tambourine with bestie makes me shiver with yuckness!
Of course a lot of this is my own emotional response and ruled by the fact that I 'know' her whereas we don't usually 'know' our clients.
Nonetheless it still begs the question... 5) HOW DO WE ASSESS THE LINE BETWEEN PATRONISING AND OK???? And then what do we do about it!
A ridiculously complicated set of questions with too many variables to ever really solve; But come at me music therapists out there - I need some help with this one!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
The importance of nursery rhymes and why they won't ever go out of date...
Did you know that from the very moment your baby is born he/she has the neurological ability to UNDERSTAND and ENJOY particular intervals?? (For you musical types the minor 3rd is the main one I'm referring to here and if you're not a musical type just think of intervals as the makeup of the melody). Interestingly, the intervals that babies love the most are the ones that nursery rhymes are made out of :)
For example, if I type the phrases "Naah, Naah, na, Naah, Naah" or "You can't catch me" I bet you all naturally sing them in your mind in that childhood tune - you know, THAT tune, the one ALL little kids seem to just know and seem to sing!!
Well there's a reason all little kids sing in THOSE tunes - it's because the intervals (melody) are familiar and comfortable to them - they're born with those melodic frameworks in their brain and hearing them and singing them makes them feel good, which helps the development of positive neural pathways.
THIS IS A REALLY POSITIVE THING, AND YOU CAN USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE!!
In general playing pop or 'grown up' music just doesn't quite cut it. The structure, melody, rhythm and tempo of these songs are often too complex and confusing for the tiny mind to comprehend which means they probably don't get the same feeling of "ooh, my tiny brain gets this tune, I like it and it's making me feel safe and sound"... (which I'm SURE is what the new born would be thinking if they could think in such an orderly and well-educated manner!)
So - why not give your baby the gift of nursery rhyme?!
* Don't be scared to ask someone to teach you a few if you don't know any (this is totally common for Gen Y's and beyond) so no need to worry :) Youtube can be a great source for finding a nursery rhyme 'library' and choosing a few you like the most out of the hundreds you will stumble across.
* Don't be scared of being politically incorrect! The chances are you won't offend anyone, least of all your baby, by singing about black sheep - and personally I think singing about orange sheep is confusing and misleading! I choose not to sing the ones about spanking and starving the little children, but that's just me - it's all a personal choice :)
* Don't be scared of singing out of tune. Your children will have absolutely no idea about being 'in' or 'out' of tune - they will just feel loved and happy from hearing your voice and hearing their special songs. (On a side note, Mama's voice is the one your baby loves to hear the most as it is the most familiar. From the moment your bub is born he/she would be able to pick your voice out amongst a noisy crowded room of a hundred people - that's how strongly they recognise your particular sound and that recognition also makes them feel happy and safe. What I'm trying to say here Mums is that your babies LOVE it when you sing to them!)
* Don't be scared about getting the words wrong - it's the melody, structure and repetition that babies love, not the words. Feel free to personalise the words as I often do or choose nursery rhymes with the same tunes (ie Twinkle, twinkle and ABC) so no matter what words come out you can't go wrong!
What more motivation could you possibly need!!!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
The time has come for the TRUTH to be exposed....
That's right folks - the time has come! Actually, it's long overdue. Too long has the general public been living in the dark, oblivious to the potential, blinded by the generalisations and presumptions, unaware of the secret weapon that could actually improve health, happiness, well-being and general quality of life of your loved ones!
The time has come for the truth to be exposed about MUSIC THERAPY in AGED CARE!!!
Referencing a bunch of questions and comments that I've heard over the years, let me make a few things clear....
"Oh, you've come to do a singalong! How lovely"
Out my mouth = "Yes, I've come for music therapy" (with a sweet smile).
In my mind = Actually I've come to work intensely and therapeutically with 30 individual residents in the space of one hour. I've come to observe their reactions, their interactions, their responses, their facial and bodily affect, the way they move, the way they express themselves verbally and non-verbally, to notice whether they instigate these responses or require facilitation, to assess their particular mood for that particular day in order to decide whether I aught adapt whatever session I had planned to better suit their needs. While I'm doing all of these things for a whole bunch of people all at the same time I'm going to smile and sing and make them FEEL like they are part of an old-time singalong or a chit chat or a trip down memory lane whilst all the while I am secretly addressing their therapeutic needs through musical interventions. So yeah - I guess you could say it's one complicated singalong! (Oh, apart from the times when we don't sing at all - like when we're dancing, exercising, song writing, relaxing, doing quizzes, going outside, going online etc. etc...)
"So, did you have to do some sort of training or a special course to be able to do this?"
Um - actually, YES, yes I did! Personally I did 6 years of Uni which included moving interstate, "hundreds" of hours of clinical placements, "hundreds" of hours of a Masters thesis, "hundreds" of hours of emotion and anxiety and insecurity. Music Therapy is an allied health profession and EVERY music therapist has to study for at least 4 years (in Australia anyway) and graduate to be able to register with the Australian Music Therapy Association. It's really not for the faint hearted!
"I'd rather you not play those war time songs because some of our residents might get emotional."
I had a facility manager ask me to "perhaps not sing songs that trigger memories from the war time" because a volunteer had seen a resident cry when we sang a war time tune. She also asked me not to sing about dogs as a resident who loved dogs had recently passed and she didn't want to risk upsetting anyone. I realised at this point that perhaps the facility manager didn't quite understand the concept of music 'therapy'! I asked if I could have some time to discuss the program with her and the volunteer and any other staff who were interested, but alas she did not have the time. I wanted to tell her that in fact it's not such a bad thing at all for a resident to shed a tear - especially to shed a tear in a group environment while others are there to support them emotionally, to heighten their sense of belonging amongst a bunch of their fellow residents, to have the opportunity to reminisce with others who often can honestly relate and show true empathy. The act of being supported therapeutically in such a setting is often enough to resolve that emotional blockage and improve their quality of life. To shed a great is often a FANTASTIC outcome!
Unfortunately the facility manager, who never had the time to listen to any of my explanations, eventually gave music therapy the boot :(
"Would you like me to go and get the song books for you?"
Thanks for the offer but I like the idea of 'exercising the mind'. Singing from memory is a great way to demonstrate recall of long term memory and is also SUPER EMPOWERING because, generally speaking, we never seem to lose lyrics permanently. We may need a reminder or we may need to hear the melody but it's a very rare occurrence to come across someone who has actually forgotten the lyrics to the 'golden oldies'.
While I'm on the topic of 'song books', imagine what it's going to be like when Gen Y are in aged care! To suit everyone's needs there'll have to be a hip-hop song book, a pop song book, a country song book... thank Goodness I'm working with people who only had the one station on the wireless - makes my audience much easier to please!
"I don't think we need any documentation, we'll take an attendance list and that should be enough - how about you just spend your time doing the music."
Sorry lady but it's MY professional credibility on the line here!! I must admit that in the early days I sometimes relented with this one (who wants to do paperwork anyway?) These days however it's a no brainer. Documentation is a must - Imagine if a physio therapist did weekly consults and didn't document what was happening with their clients!?!? Absolute outrage! Well it's EXACTLY the same with a Music Therapist. Imagine if the accreditors came to visit, saw music therapy listed on the calendar and found not a lick of paperwork in regards to what it was that we were doing!? Imagine if Vera was played country music during her palliative journey when she absolutely DESPISED country music but there was no MT assessment in her file so no one knew! Imagine if Basil's chair was placed 5 metres away from the music therapist, when an MT assessment would have CLEARLY shown that he was deaf in one ear and needed to be sat directly to the left of the therapist! Imagine if Esme's daughter asked you what you were trying to achieve through Esme's involvement in MT but and you had no Care-plan to show her! Imagine how unprofessional that would look! Imagine if Clyde's radio kept being turned on every morning but an MT evaluation would have shown that in fact, the radio has shown to make Clyde appear anxious and he should only have specifically selected music played to him. Eeeek - just the thought of it all makes me shudder!!
"Yeah we really want a music therapy program at our nursing home - we thought maybe you could run a choir?"
Haha, *chuckle*, the old choir suggestion hey... Yes, I totally love a good choir and don't deny their amazing therapeutic outcomes... and yes, many residents often have a long, positive history with choirs.... CHOIRS OF THE 1940's THAT IS! A time when the choir was an exclusive singing group, where you didn't sit with your friend you sat in your specific vocal group, there was absolutely no place for chatter, there was a large focus on hymns and there was a very definitive 'leader'. The choir of this day was a very serious event with a reputation to uphold. Go on, you try to eradicate these ingrained choir ethics from the mind's of the oldies... ha!
"Shall I go and get the box of instruments so the residents have something to shake?"
Hmmm, a tricky one and I often say "thanks, that'd be great" even though I usually feel uneasy about it. It's a very fine line between 'age appropriate and practical', 'patronising and creative', and I usually feel that handing out a bunch of shakers is a little bit too 'kindergarden' for aged care. Of course every resident is unique, shakers do have their place and some people will show endless joy from shaking their shakers...
But that time I took ten djembes to the nursing home with me was amazing! A new EXCITING instrument, a stimulating conversation about it's cultural background, able to be played by everyone as they sat at chair height and don't need to be held, a variety of sounds to be made and techniques to create them.
My advice to nursing homes on stocking up their activities cupboards with instruments??? Keep the box of shakers but add a bunch of exciting 'grown ups' instruments :)
"Come on, that's enough chat everyone - lets get back to the music"
This comment usually comes from the residents themselves but I'm always quick to reassure them that chatting is just fine with me! It's a great opportunity to demonstrate recall of long and short term memories, develop stronger social networks, support each other emotionally, express themselves verbally and develop a sense of control over their sessions. In fact the music part is really nothing more that a 'tool' that I use to actually encourage interactive discussions. Sometimes we will sing or listen to one song and then Woosh - the session takes a tangent. All of a sudden we are talking about motor vehicles, then we are talking about the olden days, then we are talking about residents families, then we are sharing happy memories of our childhoods - before we know it an hour has gone by and everyone is blissfully sharing their lives with each other. Music has played a very small but very vital part in this session and all the goals I was aiming for were achieved :)
"No there's probably no point working with him at this hour - he gets too anxious in the afternoons"
Afternoon anxiety + music therapy = a match made in heaven!!!!! Seriously! If you can organise a music therapist to be at your nursing home around 3pm(ish) you are onto a winner. Putting on a CD just doesn't cut it in this scenario, but having a music therapist sitting next to an anxious resident, making eye contact and singing soothingly with them really does make a difference. It can make a wandering resident stay still, a non-verbal resident sing along, an aggressive resident keep their hands to themselves and a distressed resident forget their worries.
"I don't think we really need music therapy here - we have a local group come and do a concert for us every couple of weeks".
Well hopefully after this post goes viral throughout the ever growing world of aged care networks this comment will never be made again!!!
Music therapy truly is SO MUCH MORE than a concert, a distraction or a singalong.
GET AMONGST IT!!!
Please don't hesitate to contact me at ohmymusicalgoodness@gmail.com if you have ANY questions about music therapy in aged care!!!
You could also contact the Australian Music Therapy Association on http://www.austmta.org.au/
The time has come for the truth to be exposed about MUSIC THERAPY in AGED CARE!!!
Referencing a bunch of questions and comments that I've heard over the years, let me make a few things clear....
"Oh, you've come to do a singalong! How lovely"
Out my mouth = "Yes, I've come for music therapy" (with a sweet smile).
In my mind = Actually I've come to work intensely and therapeutically with 30 individual residents in the space of one hour. I've come to observe their reactions, their interactions, their responses, their facial and bodily affect, the way they move, the way they express themselves verbally and non-verbally, to notice whether they instigate these responses or require facilitation, to assess their particular mood for that particular day in order to decide whether I aught adapt whatever session I had planned to better suit their needs. While I'm doing all of these things for a whole bunch of people all at the same time I'm going to smile and sing and make them FEEL like they are part of an old-time singalong or a chit chat or a trip down memory lane whilst all the while I am secretly addressing their therapeutic needs through musical interventions. So yeah - I guess you could say it's one complicated singalong! (Oh, apart from the times when we don't sing at all - like when we're dancing, exercising, song writing, relaxing, doing quizzes, going outside, going online etc. etc...)
"So, did you have to do some sort of training or a special course to be able to do this?"
Um - actually, YES, yes I did! Personally I did 6 years of Uni which included moving interstate, "hundreds" of hours of clinical placements, "hundreds" of hours of a Masters thesis, "hundreds" of hours of emotion and anxiety and insecurity. Music Therapy is an allied health profession and EVERY music therapist has to study for at least 4 years (in Australia anyway) and graduate to be able to register with the Australian Music Therapy Association. It's really not for the faint hearted!
"I'd rather you not play those war time songs because some of our residents might get emotional."
I had a facility manager ask me to "perhaps not sing songs that trigger memories from the war time" because a volunteer had seen a resident cry when we sang a war time tune. She also asked me not to sing about dogs as a resident who loved dogs had recently passed and she didn't want to risk upsetting anyone. I realised at this point that perhaps the facility manager didn't quite understand the concept of music 'therapy'! I asked if I could have some time to discuss the program with her and the volunteer and any other staff who were interested, but alas she did not have the time. I wanted to tell her that in fact it's not such a bad thing at all for a resident to shed a tear - especially to shed a tear in a group environment while others are there to support them emotionally, to heighten their sense of belonging amongst a bunch of their fellow residents, to have the opportunity to reminisce with others who often can honestly relate and show true empathy. The act of being supported therapeutically in such a setting is often enough to resolve that emotional blockage and improve their quality of life. To shed a great is often a FANTASTIC outcome!
Unfortunately the facility manager, who never had the time to listen to any of my explanations, eventually gave music therapy the boot :(
"Would you like me to go and get the song books for you?"
Thanks for the offer but I like the idea of 'exercising the mind'. Singing from memory is a great way to demonstrate recall of long term memory and is also SUPER EMPOWERING because, generally speaking, we never seem to lose lyrics permanently. We may need a reminder or we may need to hear the melody but it's a very rare occurrence to come across someone who has actually forgotten the lyrics to the 'golden oldies'.
While I'm on the topic of 'song books', imagine what it's going to be like when Gen Y are in aged care! To suit everyone's needs there'll have to be a hip-hop song book, a pop song book, a country song book... thank Goodness I'm working with people who only had the one station on the wireless - makes my audience much easier to please!
"I don't think we need any documentation, we'll take an attendance list and that should be enough - how about you just spend your time doing the music."
Sorry lady but it's MY professional credibility on the line here!! I must admit that in the early days I sometimes relented with this one (who wants to do paperwork anyway?) These days however it's a no brainer. Documentation is a must - Imagine if a physio therapist did weekly consults and didn't document what was happening with their clients!?!? Absolute outrage! Well it's EXACTLY the same with a Music Therapist. Imagine if the accreditors came to visit, saw music therapy listed on the calendar and found not a lick of paperwork in regards to what it was that we were doing!? Imagine if Vera was played country music during her palliative journey when she absolutely DESPISED country music but there was no MT assessment in her file so no one knew! Imagine if Basil's chair was placed 5 metres away from the music therapist, when an MT assessment would have CLEARLY shown that he was deaf in one ear and needed to be sat directly to the left of the therapist! Imagine if Esme's daughter asked you what you were trying to achieve through Esme's involvement in MT but and you had no Care-plan to show her! Imagine how unprofessional that would look! Imagine if Clyde's radio kept being turned on every morning but an MT evaluation would have shown that in fact, the radio has shown to make Clyde appear anxious and he should only have specifically selected music played to him. Eeeek - just the thought of it all makes me shudder!!
"Yeah we really want a music therapy program at our nursing home - we thought maybe you could run a choir?"
Haha, *chuckle*, the old choir suggestion hey... Yes, I totally love a good choir and don't deny their amazing therapeutic outcomes... and yes, many residents often have a long, positive history with choirs.... CHOIRS OF THE 1940's THAT IS! A time when the choir was an exclusive singing group, where you didn't sit with your friend you sat in your specific vocal group, there was absolutely no place for chatter, there was a large focus on hymns and there was a very definitive 'leader'. The choir of this day was a very serious event with a reputation to uphold. Go on, you try to eradicate these ingrained choir ethics from the mind's of the oldies... ha!
"Shall I go and get the box of instruments so the residents have something to shake?"
Hmmm, a tricky one and I often say "thanks, that'd be great" even though I usually feel uneasy about it. It's a very fine line between 'age appropriate and practical', 'patronising and creative', and I usually feel that handing out a bunch of shakers is a little bit too 'kindergarden' for aged care. Of course every resident is unique, shakers do have their place and some people will show endless joy from shaking their shakers...
But that time I took ten djembes to the nursing home with me was amazing! A new EXCITING instrument, a stimulating conversation about it's cultural background, able to be played by everyone as they sat at chair height and don't need to be held, a variety of sounds to be made and techniques to create them.
My advice to nursing homes on stocking up their activities cupboards with instruments??? Keep the box of shakers but add a bunch of exciting 'grown ups' instruments :)
"Come on, that's enough chat everyone - lets get back to the music"
This comment usually comes from the residents themselves but I'm always quick to reassure them that chatting is just fine with me! It's a great opportunity to demonstrate recall of long and short term memories, develop stronger social networks, support each other emotionally, express themselves verbally and develop a sense of control over their sessions. In fact the music part is really nothing more that a 'tool' that I use to actually encourage interactive discussions. Sometimes we will sing or listen to one song and then Woosh - the session takes a tangent. All of a sudden we are talking about motor vehicles, then we are talking about the olden days, then we are talking about residents families, then we are sharing happy memories of our childhoods - before we know it an hour has gone by and everyone is blissfully sharing their lives with each other. Music has played a very small but very vital part in this session and all the goals I was aiming for were achieved :)
"No there's probably no point working with him at this hour - he gets too anxious in the afternoons"
Afternoon anxiety + music therapy = a match made in heaven!!!!! Seriously! If you can organise a music therapist to be at your nursing home around 3pm(ish) you are onto a winner. Putting on a CD just doesn't cut it in this scenario, but having a music therapist sitting next to an anxious resident, making eye contact and singing soothingly with them really does make a difference. It can make a wandering resident stay still, a non-verbal resident sing along, an aggressive resident keep their hands to themselves and a distressed resident forget their worries.
"I don't think we really need music therapy here - we have a local group come and do a concert for us every couple of weeks".
Well hopefully after this post goes viral throughout the ever growing world of aged care networks this comment will never be made again!!!
Music therapy truly is SO MUCH MORE than a concert, a distraction or a singalong.
GET AMONGST IT!!!
Please don't hesitate to contact me at ohmymusicalgoodness@gmail.com if you have ANY questions about music therapy in aged care!!!
You could also contact the Australian Music Therapy Association on http://www.austmta.org.au/
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Oh the joys of baby sign language
My 19 month old daughter knows two languages - English and Sign.
She has no hearing impairment or sensory delays of any kind (well ok, she has a cataract, but for the point of the story she's in A1 sensory condition)! She doesn't appear to show any symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder, of developmental difficulties or speech impediments - but she does sign anyway!
I first found out about baby sign as a student music therapist at Ipswich Special School, Qld. I was amazed at how so many children with so many varied set of symptoms and characteristics were all able to communicate through this one beautiful channel! Since then I've tried to use sign with all the 0-4's I've had the pleasure of making music with.
I've always thought "they probably don't even realise I'm doing anything" - a shake of the thumb as I say we're 'finished' with the instruments, a tap to the chin when I thank them and a policeman's hand up when we 'stop' - nothing that really stands out. But that was until I started using sign with my Maple - and then I realised that EVERY SINGLE HAND GESTURE THAT GOES WITH A WORD IS BEING PROCESSED!! Even after all those years of using sign I was astounded when I realised just how powerful a communication tool it actually is.
It all started when, at 12 months, I decided to see if I could work out if Maple was actually 'finished' with her milk or if she was just playing that 'on/off/on/off game' with me. I asked "Maple are you finished?" and shook my thumb from side to side as I said it. Nothing. But at the VERY NEXT FEED - she looked up after 10 minutes, shook her thumb from side to side and moved away. From that day on 'finished' has been her keyword - she will tell me when she's finished with her milk, finished in the bath, finished her food, her book, her cuddle, even (yes I'm guilty of it) my ipad - she'll actually give it back after 5 minutes and tell me she's 'finished'. It's a beautiful thing to watch a toddler using signs in context and demonstrating total comprehension of what the words actually mean before they can speak them.
Makaton is the sign program I was first introduced to and is what I generally base my sign style on. Makaton is a language program which uses signs, words and symbols to encourage language development in those with communication difficulties. The program is divided into stages with the initial stages incorporating the most basic and common words such as Mummy, Daddy, bed, drink, food, toilet, please, thankyou etc... and the subsequent stages introducing more complex concepts and phrases. The signs are derived from AUSLAN (in Australia that is) as this is the cultural language of our deaf community. The word is always spoken when the sign is used and the pictorial symbols are helpful when working with children with more complicated communication delays.
I don't use symbols and I only really use signs from the first couple of stages of the program - these seem to give us enough of a basis in the language to be able to sign our general day-to-day needs. We also make up our own signs - funny ones that pertain to our own 'family language' and Maple has adapted some of the ones we've shown her which we've then taken on.
Sign language encourages eye contact, physical contact, non-verbal expression, verbal expression, fine and gross motor skills, positive neural development, cognitive involvement, social interaction and inclusion, facial expression and much, much more.
I love the idea that even though I only speak English I still have a second language - I love the idea that one day Maple might be able to communicate with children who a lot of other children can't communicate with and I love the idea that when I use signs at work other children, parents and educators are, often unbeknownst to them, processing a new language.
And I totally love it when Maple signs 'I love you Mummy' - ahhh... melts the heart :)
My baby sign language workshop is available as a skype session for only $80 so contact me today!
OR
My baby sign language workshop is available as a skype session for only $80 so contact me today!
OR
http://ohmymusicalgoodness.blogspot.com.au/p/upcoming-sessions.html
Come to one of my baby sign workshops and learn so much more!
OR...
http://www.babysignandlearn.com.au/
These folks have some great resources to help you get started on your sign journey
https://www.facebook.com/BabySignAndLearn
You can also find them on facey of course!
These folks have some great resources to help you get started on your sign journey
https://www.facebook.com/BabySignAndLearn
You can also find them on facey of course!
Friday, August 2, 2013
The Language of Music...
A few things got me thinking about the language of music... it started with realising that Maple was starting to have minor tantrums, which got me thinking about how frustrating it must be to not be able to communicate when you know what you want to say but just don't know the words, which got me thinking about her actual 18 month old vocabulary (isn't it cute!!), which ultimately brought me to a memory of something my Dad wrote in my 18th birthday card -
"The Language of music transcends all barriers".
No matter whether you're an 18 month old with limited vocab, an immigrant with little English skills, an elderly person with dementia, a really, really drunk person or someone who just doesn't really get literacy....
EVERYONE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD CAN UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE OF MUSIC!!
Not only that but we can communicate and express ourselves through the language of music also -
it's a language that knows no barriers!!
Sure we all have our personal likes and dislikes - I love folk and can't stand pop, love classical, hate death metal etc. but whatever our personal choice may be we ALL understand the language of music! Music does not discriminate against race, age, culture, ability or identity.
So the moral of this story is lets listen to more music! Especially with our friends and family who don't quite work on the same communicate scale as us!!
Unless we are discussing apples, bubbles and daddy Maple isn't really an equal part of our conversation but when we are listening to music together we are ALL equals with our language skills and that must be an absolutely lovely feeling for her and do wonders for her sense of self :)
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