Harp Music by Musical Medicine - Activity Director Frequently Asked Questions FAQs

#101 Instrumental can be played bedside to just about any religious belief, because there are no words on it.

#102 Vocal with instrumentation is very helpful for those who are lonely, or in pain, or in a coma. Recommended by NAAP. (See Heavenly Assurance Vocal page on my website)

What do I do if your music makes my patients cry?
Don't always assume this is bad. Gently ask them if they want you to turn the music off. I've been very surprised on many occasions by their response at how much they wanted to continue hearing the music as they were crying and singing along to it. As you know, crying is a wonderful release for frustrated emotions.
What do I do for a patient that is terrified of dying and alone?
My music was designed for this. Read the page on SPIRITUAL CARE. Always ask them if they would like to see a Chaplain or Minister.

When I worked as an assistant activity director, we had a woman who was not of the Christian faith, who yelled over and over again from her bed, "Please help me die!" I went into her room very gently, and put on Heavenly Assurance Instrumental. I just held her hand and hummed along with the songs. I did not push religion on her whatsoever. It is called "ministry of presence" - just you being there for them. This always calmed her down. It was so beautiful. When it was time for me to leave her room, I always asked her if she wanted to continue to hear the music. Always respect their freedom of choice.
What can I do to bring comfort to a mother who knows she is dying, and does not have peace about leaving her children behind?
My prayer booklet, "Heavenly Promises for a Mother and her Family", brings truths from the scriptures that bring hope. There is a prayer in this booklet that many women have used to pray for their family.

I have a patient who has lost all hope. Which of your products would be most helpful to her?
My prayer booklet, "Prayers and Affirmation that Retore Hope" is very comforting for those who have lost all hope. Also, my CD COMFORTING LOVE is very reassuring of God's love in hopeless situations.

I have a patient who is 93 years old, blind, and will not participate in any activities outside her room. Sometimes she has very bad days where she throws things and/or hits her nurses. Any suggestions?
Yes - have someone she relates to as "being on her side" approach her. Have her gently ask the patient if she would like to hear the hymns. Over the years, I have found SET FREE to be most effective for this type of situation. The message on this CD helps the patient surrender to her circumstances, and turn them over to her Heavenly Father - and rest - and trust Him - in the midst of her painful situations. I have seen this result every time I used this approach.

I have a patient who screams in pain from her bed. Her nurses are not able to help her. What can we do for her?
Same approach as above. When I worked as an Assistant Activity Director for two years, we had such a patient. I would approach her, and in the midst of her tears and yelling she would request HEAVENLY ASSURANCE VOCAL. This CD has songs on it her Mother used to sing to her as a child. The patient would immediately begin to sing along with this CD. By the fourth song, she would be fast asleep. It worked every time!

What do I do if I have two patients in one room - one wants to hear the hymns, and the other does not?
Use a CD player with a headset. We used to put clean gauze over each ear piece every time we had different patients use it for infection control. We used a rubber band to fasten the gauze over the ear piece.

I have an Alzheimer's patient who wheels around on our floor all day long saying, "Help me...help me". Any suggestions?
I would ask her if she would like to hear the hymns first. Then use the cd player with the headset. I've seen this work many times. It was so pleasant to have this same patient wheeling around our floor singing "In The Garden" instead of yelling for help! The music seemed to help her keep her mind off her circumstances.