“Music That Made History.” This is the theme of our Winter Music Therapy Series, which kicked off on January 18th in both our Woodlands and Groves buildings!
The first session was called, “Music, MLK, and the Civil Rights Movement,” where we explored music that made history during the Civil Rights Movement. We sang songs like We Shall Overcome, This Little Light of Mine, and Georgia on My Mind. Many in our group were familiar with these songs and recalled that they were popular during the mid-60s. This subject led to a discussion of, “What purpose does music serve to an individual versus a community?”
When I asked participants what purpose music served for them, many of them said things like, “entertainment,” “relaxation,” and “to feel good.” When I asked what purpose music can serve for a group, at least one person in each group said, “It makes people feel closer to each other,” or “It bonds them together.”
These answers are exactly the purpose and goal of our music therapy groups – not only do the residents personally benefit from singing and active music-making, but they also experience the connectedness of making music with a group.
If you are interested in learning about music therapy for your loved one, please contact Melissa Pate at mpate@kensingtonsl.com.