hey lebeouf! and welcome to the forums!!!
I relate exactly to where you're coming from here. Matter of fact I'm really fortunate that in my job working in a nursing home for the past 5 years as an aged carer and part time diversional therapist, I've been blessed to be able to do that almost every day. Any spare moment I get is spent singing to and with the residents in either group settings or 1 x 1. So many stories I could share of the power of music to impact upon people's lives....and their families too.
Many are the times I've sat at the bedside of a dying resident and sung to them and their families...spiritual songs and hymns for comfort...old songs they used to sing as children or young adults...it's an amazing thing. I feel very privileged to be able to bring something that is the passion of my life into the workplace. I also run the residents choir which meets every couple of weeks for an hour or so where we can not only share music, but concerns that are more intimate too. Music opens doors that sometimes words can't.
A great book you might also like to check out, "Musicophilia" by Oliver Sachs, full of anecdotes of the effect of music on the brain. My specialisation is working with dementia sufferers and I found this book to be not only educational, but very encouraging and life affirming...another quick story: we have a lady in the home who is in deep stages of dementia to the point of being virtually catatonic. But when I sing to her 'Amazing Grace' her eyes open just that little bit wider and she starts to mouth the words, in time with the tempo and rhythm of the playing. After noticing this several times I approached her daughter who informed me it has always been her favourite hymn.
anyway, I'm rambling but I wish you all the best in what you're doing. You will be greatly appreciated, and blessed by it. Cheers!
