Ohio Northern University recently delighted the residents of the Vancrest residential facility with a visit from their music therapy specialists.
“It’s amazing seeing the residents that normally don’t talk they start singing along to the music when normally they don’t talk to you, so that’s just a cool thing to see, my favorite part about it,” says [Music Therapy Outreach Co-chair Madison] Yoakum
Not only was the visit from the Music Therapy department a welcome activity for the residents, but it was also therapeutic. Numerous studies have shown just how valuable music therapy can be, with one major clinical study showing it can be used to “promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, enhance memory, improve communication, and provide unique opportunities for interaction.“
While there are real therapeutic benefits to music, there’s also the togetherness and joy it brings. Music makes for a wonderful ice breaker in group sessions; it can genuinely help make new friends. And there’s also the emotional value of sharing music with people we already care for, especially when that music holds tremendous shared meaning.
