Also, a few of us play for ailing children at UCLA/Mattel Children’s Hospital and give them ukes via The Ukulele Kids Club every few weeks, which seems to ease their pain. In fact, this past Wednesday when we played for a four year old, the music therapist told us it was the first time in the two weeks since he was admitted that he had a smile.
Very cool, Mike. Way to go. I'm meeting with Corey's local liaison Sunday to discuss UKC and TBUS's upcoming relationship.
I've studied Music Therapy for several years. I was hospice's first Certified Music Clinician. I was also a pain expert. It is difficult to separate physical pain from emotional pain, they are so tied together. I can tell you that music of any kind had little or no effect on severe physical pain. That was when I held their hands and spoke encouragingly to them, while the RN would hook up a pain med pump. Music did help a lot when there was emotional pain, fear of dying, or nausea. It didn't matter whether the patient was awake or in a coma. It still helped. And mostly, it helped the family members and loved ones.