Thank you for your phone call, ongoing support and encouragement.
Just wanting to share with you an occasion I recently experienced whilst volunteering in the Emergency Department (ED) of our local hospital. A very elderly lady was brought into ED by her concerned son. The lady's condition had been deteriorating and understandably her son was very concerned. ED staff responded in a very genuine and caring manner but the lady remained agitated. After a length of time I volunteered to sit with her whilst her son left to attend to other matters. I asked the lady for her son's name but because of her anxiety I was unable to catch what she was saying. On asking again she started to gently sing "Danny Boy"; thus providing his name. Having identified her love of music, I asked if she would like to listen to music I had downloaded to the eSHUFFLe (a general collection of older songs) and with ED staff approval, the eSHUFFLe was gently placed for her. The response was almost magical. In no time at all, our lovely 99 year old lady, was resting back on her pillows, gently swaying to the beat of the music and mouthing the words of the song. This lady listened for about 40 minutes. The eSHUFFLe was removed and she rested comfortably until being moved to one of the wards for further care. How little we have to do in so many instances to give peacefulness and enjoyment. Wishing you, and all your fellow volunteers the very very best with your future developments to so many people in a range of situations. Thank you for all the work and commitment you have given.
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Wendy Lyons - Choir Founder Members of the Stroke a Chord choir were thrilled to be invited to sing at the Monash Medical Centre on 3rd December 2019 to celebrate the International Day of Disability. We really enjoyed performing to an audience and educating them about stroke and aphasia. All our members are stroke survivors with disabilities and many have aphasia.
Following a talk by a fellow stroke survivor on her own personal journey of recovery, the choir was introduced to the audience by Speech Pathologist Bronwyn Jones. Led by our conductor Christie Cula Reid and supported by our talented musicians we presented a diverse program providing opportunity for the audience to join us in song. We were pleased to mix with the audience who are part of the Monash Medical Centre team. It was a great day for all of us. |
BLOGSince 2014, Music and The Brain Foundation has been quietly changing lives. Whilst not reporting on all of our work, this Blog shares just a small sample of some of our stories to illustrate the impact of our work in Australia. Archives
November 2020
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