Rhythm For Good

Tag Archives | elderly music

11 Reasons Why Drums Work: Activities for the Elderly

By Kat Fulton on August 10, 2010 in Drumming, Older Adults

Singing, moving, dancing, song-writing, relaxing, caring for self, improvising, and playing an assortment of instruments are essential to a quality music therapy & wellness program for older adults. Music therapists use music as the medium for providing cognitive stimulation, gross/fine motor movement, socialization, agitation reduction, memory validation, reminiscence, and more… but here are a few practical reasons that drums stand out as a successful experience~

1. The drum speaks loudly. When the voice is weak, the drum is strong. When you hit a drum lightly, the drum responds with great resonance and volume. Older adults who may be hard-of-hearing may not be able to hear shakers, but drums are more audible.

2. The drum is easy to play. Frame drums, paddle drums, and shape drums are easy to hold with two hands in the lap. There are plenty of adaptive instruments to compensate for arthritis and other physical ailments. I use mallet cuffs at least twice per week in my groups. They allow drum playing when grasp is weak. Also, instrument mounts act as a drum stand for individuals who are wheelchair-bound.

3. The drum is versatile. Drums can be used in rehabilitation in several NMT (neurologic music therapy) techniques and/or regular exercise. Up high, down low, kick the drum, reach for the drum, reach for your neighbor’s drum. You can even surround an individual with hand drums to simulate a drum set. Then, design a drumming pattern that works on strengthening the trunk while the client reaches left, right, front, back, up, down, etc.

4. The drum is expressive. You can use drums in place of conversations. Oftentimes what better serves individuals in a drum circle is play without words. The drum can act as an emotional anchor with no words required.

5. The drum is the foundation of music. Consider the simplest elements of music: melody, harmony, and rhythm. Rhythm is the glue that sticks it all together.

6. The drum is cross-cultural. I recently provided a drum circle for the IRC: 35 refugees that spoke 7 different languages. Did anyone need to understand English in order to drum together successfully? No. Rhythm works. AND we all took turns singing in different languages, listening, and learning.

7. The drum is clearer and more definitive than small percussions. Many of the older adults with whom I work complain that the shakers aren’t loud enough. Then I give that individual a drum, and he/she is totally satisfied!

8. The research supports drumming with older adults to promote optimal health and wellness.

9. The drum is portable! Check out my post Schlepping Made Easy. Thanks to Remo, there are lots of portable drums out there. My favorite are the paddle drums.

10. The drum is peaceful. The drum can simulate a soft, relaxing, predictable, familiar heart beat. In addition, the drum can serve as gentle vibrational stimulation. We often do drum massages in wellness sessions. Face the drum mouth towards the core of your body, strike the drum, and notice the vibrational sensations that occur. With the right drum, timbre, and frequencies, this sensation can be very relaxing.

11. The drum is fun. When a comment like this is heard over and over, it must be a good sign: “Playing the drum makes me feel like a kid again!”

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MythBuster Countdown #3: Music Therapists are Entertainers ♫

By Kat Fulton on July 26, 2010 in For Music Therapists, Mythbusters, Older Adults

Are all music therapists entertainers? No, but some are. Are all entertainers music therapists? No, but some are.

My experience~ I’ve found that especially when working with groups of older adults, misconceptions about music therapy may arise from by-standers, staff people, and/or family members. And for good reason. Music is fun. Music makes you laugh and smile. Music tugs the heart strings. Not to mention, a therapist who is highly skilled at gaining rapport quickly with the client may appear to be “entertaining.”

The difference~ While some music therapists are professional performers as well (We’re quite a talented bunch!), when providing music therapy, he/she uses music as the tool to address client-specific goals. Here are 7 differences between music therapists and entertainers.

A Music therapist ~

Uses research-based music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship (American Music Therapy Association, 2010).
Focuses on the client. Music therapists purposefully create an environment suitable to healing the client and serving the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and/or cognitive needs of the client.
Assesses the client, designs a treatment plan, utilizes interventions to meet objectives, documents progress, evaluates treatment plan, and modifies the treatment plan according to progress.
Is required to obtain a degree (bachelors, masters, PhD), attend a 6-month internship, and pass a board-certification exam.
Provides service according to the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics regulated by the American Music Therapy Association in the US.
Typically maintains board certification (MT-BC) through the Certification Board for Music Therapists in the US.
Is a formally trained musician.

An Entertainer ~

May be skilled at gaining rapport with an audience, while no therapeutic relationship or goals are present.
Usually focuses on the audience entertainment. Entertainers perform music in front of an audience for the enjoyment of listening rather than healing.
Does not engage in treatment planning or documentation.
Is not required to obtain any formalized training or degree.
May be a member of one of the several entertainer/musician associations.
May or may not be licensed or certified.
Is not necessarily a formally trained musician, but quite possibly could be an exceptionally talented musician.

Consider checking out Blythe LaGasse‘s latest post Systematic Review Supports Music Therapy for Dementia to find out about the evidence-based practice of music therapy for persons with dementia.

Both music therapists and entertainers are often LOVED by their clients and audiences, respectively. And like I mentioned in my recent Drum Call with Christine Stevens, there is a place for everyone. I am encouraged when one of my older adult facilities gets a new entertainer. The more music, the better! Music therapists don’t own MUSIC. However, music therapists are experts specifically at facilitating healing and promoting well-being through music interventions.

Have a comment? Throw it down! Would love to hear from you.

Here are some more MythBusters:

#9 Music Therapy is Therapy for Musicians, Right?
#8 Making Music is Just for Kids and Professionals
#7 Drumming is for Hippies Only
#6 Mozart Makes Your Kid a GENIUS
#5 You Either Have Rhythm or You Don’t
#4 Take 2 Bachs, a Bob Dylan, and Call the Music Therapist in the Morning
#2 Kum Ba Yah Campfire Tours
#1 It’s Too Late in Life to Play Music

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VIDEO: Mashup for Drumming with Older Adults: Ayub + Opera

By Kat Fulton on July 14, 2010 in Drumming, Older Adults

Ayub Rhythm + Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen = Successful Older Adult Drumming and Singing

Here’s a fun way to drum with older adults in your music therapy or group drumming sessions. I particularly enjoy introducing something new by way of something old and familiar. (Granted, the Ayub rhythm is much “older” than Carmen, it will probably be “new” to most groups in the US and west.) So, get your doumbeks warmed up and play!