Music can have a profound impact on someone’s well-being and has been shown to reduce stress, bring heart rates down, and even control breathing. At McLaren Greater Lansing, a healing environment is fostered through their therapeutic music program led by Drs. Melissa Straus and Tess Miller, to promote recovery and well-being.
“We recently hit a milestone of providing therapeutic music here at McLaren for 10 years now, and it’s been an exciting journey to be able to come in and play for patients and have a positive impact towards their healing,” said Dr. Miller, who plays the flute and ukulele and also sings during her sessions.
Drs. Straus and Miller typically visit McLaren Greater Lansing two to three times a week and play mainly at a patient’s bedside, but you can also see them performing in the lobbies of the hospital and Karmanos Cancer Institute for staff and visitors, along with performing at various events at McLaren including leading meditation sessions for leadership and staff.
“This service is really beneficial for everyone and can create a wonderful healing environment,” said Dr. Straus, who plays the bass and sings. “The hospital setting can be very stressful, so by playing music we can help those who may feel anxious or uncomfortable and find some relief.”
Trained in patient observation, Drs. Straus and Miller observe the patient’s demeanor as well as their verbal and non-verbal cues to select the appropriate music to play. Changes in the patient's demeanor during the music session determine the type of music the practitioners play, and they will tailor musical preferences to their needs.
“We will often be asked to play certain songs or tunes they like, and we try our best to accommodate them as much as possible,” said Dr. Miller. “Music, even music that triggers a memory from them, can have such an impact on their day and their emotional and physical well-being.”
Increasing evidence shows that therapeutic music can be used as complementary therapy for a wide range of health conditions such as dementia, stroke, anxiety disorders, and cancer, and help people of all ages.
The therapeutic music program at McLaren Greater Lansing began in 2015 and is funded by the McLaren Greater Lansing Foundation.
“Programs like these are an integral part of the Foundation’s mission to support our hospital system to provide access to the best health care and highest quality patient care right here in our community, close to home,” said Lynn Griffor, chief experience officer and vice president of philanthropy at McLaren Greater Lansing.
McLaren Greater Lansing continues to promote health and wellness through programs such as these and offers a wide variety of support services and free health events. To learn more about these offers, click here.
If you are interested in donating to the therapeutic music program at McLaren Greater Lansing, learn more by clicking here.
For more articles on health and wellness from McLaren Greater Lansing, click here.