Abstract

Music therapy can be a profound physical, emotional and spiritual support at the end of life. This book looks at a wide variety of cases, explaining how music therapy can be used effectively. It highlights particular components of working with this group, such as creating a therapeutic relationship, helping patients to reach final goals, working within cultural contexts and dealing with difficult emotions, all within the parameters of the musical experience. It also explores the unique needs of people with disabilities or mental illness, and how to support the families of the dying. Therapeutic and philosophical insights related to the dying process are included.

This will be a supportive and insightful guide for anyone working with people who are at the end of life, especially music therapists and other complementary therapists, caregivers, hospice workers and medical professionals.

“I am honored to add my voice to the chorus of appreciation for music as an end of life care necessity, and to Islene Runningdeer for patiently teaching me its value.”
From the Foreword by Diana Peirce, RN, CHPN, The Elizabeth Hospice, San Diego, California, Formerly Director of Hospice and Palliative Care, Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, Barre, Vermont
Islene Runningdeer is a music therapist with the Advanced Illness Care Team at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph, Vermont. In 2001 she convinced the Director of the Central Vermont Palliative Care and Hospice Team to allow her to demonstrate the effectiveness of music therapy with a brief pilot program. The positive results were immediately seen, and she was given a position on the clinical team. Islene also has experience as a professional pianist and music teacher. She lives in Vermont.
“Islene Runningdeer is an artist in sound. Her experiences of ministering to the dying (and the people who love them) through music and song are beautifully rendered here in the stories of Agnus, Kathy, Winifred, Ethan, and many other memorable souls who belong to her colorful, crusty, welcoming, challenging community. This is a book for aspiring music therapists, hospice teams, caregivers, and anyone who will someday face death. Oh...that's all of us, is it? Then let us all read this work of this wise musician, an experienced caregiver herself, and let us all sing the praises of these stories of our parents, sisters, brothers, neighbors, and friends, and how they were touched by compassionate care, and music.”
Jonna Goulding, MD, Hospice and Palliative Medicine Specialist
“We can explore with this book what we might want our own end to be. Islene leads us with heartfelt story and song on the intimacies of the last adventure. When we travel to places we don't know we use a guide book. Islene gives us one, the music book of stories we have stored in our hearts. From lullabies and rock and roll, to sounds of pageantry, dance tunes, and ecclesiastical soaring; she shows how the ending melts into the music of the spheres, guiding our way home.”
Kathy Panagiotes MA, MSN, RN, Professor and Program Chair, Mt. Wachusett Community College