About The Program

Music at End-of-Life: a Caregiver's Guide

This online weekend workshop is an opportunity for caregivers, clinicians and those  interested in end-of-life care to explore the use of music in care for the critically ill,  those on hospice, approaching the end-of-life, and actively dying. This series will  provide tools and ways to be with loved ones using live music (singing) as a support, both for and with those who are ill, as well as loved ones gathered at the bedside.  

Join Jayne Demakos, certified Music-Thanatologist, hospice musician and teacher in exploring her experience and teachings on the use of music and end of life care. There will be opportunities for discussion, and song material will be provided for participants to learn and to keep. 

Over the course of the weekend, we will cover three broad interwoven areas: 

1) Self-care as foundational for anyone finding themselves in the role of caregiver.  

• • Routines, and tools to help establish care for self while caring for others.
  • Exercises to develop a sense of presence – we serve others musically, not  through music, but through a foundation of presence.  
  • Musical self-reflection: how we choose music for our own therapeutic purposes, such as comfort, release, deepening meaning, a kind of companionship, and to mirror emotional states.
  • Breath, humming, and songs for self care.

2) The end-of-life journey: how and when music can support all phases of this experience

• • The trauma of a diagnosis and the varying needs of those experiencing life threatening illness or going on hospice service 
  • When music is helpful; when is it not helpful 
  • The Sleep Song; The Tear Song; The Joy Song 
  • Familiar vs Unfamiliar music 
  • Silence 
  • Kubler-Ross, The Five Stages of Dying and music 
  • The use of music for Alzheimer’s and Dementia at end-of-life 

3) The last weeks:  

• •  The physical, emotional and spiritual changes expressed in the dying process including what we might observe in the actively dying 
  • Approaches for including sensitive music, as well as silence and simple presence 

Schedule: 

• • Saturday morning, 9 – 12 pm, Music & self care 
  • Saturday afternoon 2 – 5 pm, Music supporting for the critically ill and those  facing end-of-life 
  • Sunday morning 9 – 12 pm, active dying, unresponsive states and music.  CLOSING RITUAL 

Meet the Presenter