Music as a Global Resource: - International Council for Caring ...

SECTION:
Music for Mental and Physical Health
COUNTRY:
Israel
PROJECT:
SINGING FOR EMPOWERMENT AND BELONGING: A MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM FOR
ELDERS IN A COMMUNITY CARE FACILITY
DESCRIPTION:
Singing with others is an empowering experience that unites individuals, offers a sense of belonging and
enhances their cultural, social and personal identity. As an individual or group activity, singing can lift
people out of their depression and take them beyond any mental or physical disability. This is particularly
true at the Zahalon Geriatric Center, a community day care center serving elderly people with mental and
physical disabilities in Jaffa, Israel.
The Zahalon Geriatric Center provides music therapy services to three groups: patients with Alzheimer‟s,
patients who are bedridden (also called “tshushim”), and “normal” elders who live independently in the
community and visit the Center a few times a week for social, therapeutic and learning purposes. One of
the most successful projects at the Center, to date, has been a music therapy program with elderly
individuals living in Jaffa. This group consists of twenty people, mostly women, age seventy and up, who
arrived in Israel prior to its independence and took part in building the country. Most individuals in the
group come from low socio-economic neighborhoods. All have good expressive language; however some
are illiterate and suffer from various health issues such as physical disabilities and depression.
Music therapy sessions are offered by a trained music therapist, once a week, for one hour. Overarching
goals are to improve self confidence, strengthen daily coping skills, enhance overall mood and bring joy
and fulfillment. Sessions begin with an improvisation on various percussion instruments. Next, the music
therapist facilitates a group singing experience in which members sing a variety of old and familiar songs
that are meaningful for them. During a discussion following the singing, group members share childhood
memories as well as national and personal issues related to peace and security in the region, family and
health. Special attention is given to songs concerning group member‟s love for Israel and the strong
connection to their country. By singing these songs together, each individual gains a sense of
empowerment and belonging that sustains them outside of the music therapy group and into their
communities.
CURRENT STATUS:
The community music therapy program at Zahalon Geriatric Center is funded by the day care center in
Zahalon Geriatric Center, and has been active for two years. Since more people expressed an interest in
participating in this project, a second group is planned to open within the next month.
The Center hopes to expand this program to other cities in Israel and create similar groups in other
community centers. It strives to deepen the awareness of music therapy in Israel, to demonstrate the
importance and effectiveness of music therapy for the elderly and to have more music therapists working
with this population in the future.
The community music therapy program at Zahalon Geriatric Center has continuous contact with the
music therapy program at Bar Ilan University. For the past ten years, students from Bar Ilan have been
doing their internship in Zahalon.
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