Becky Watson, MBA, Board Certified Music Therapist during the Culpeper Dementia/Alzheimer’s Care Conference.
Thank you Alzheimer’s Association Central and Western Virginia for allowing me to close the wonderful education conference by facilitating “Care and Connect through Rhythm with older adults with dementia with Boomwhackers” presentation for 125 care partners, health care professionals, friends and families.
This purpose of this interactive presentation was to demonstrate how to Engage, Energize and Empower people living with dementia while utilizing a Positive Approach™ to Care Philosophy developed by Teepa Snow (www.teepasnow.com).
The presentation began with an ENGAGING opening demonstration of playing boomwhackers, emphasizing starting, stopping, going faster, slower, louder and softer by visual cuing. Then each color played their rhythm together as a group, sharing their individual sound.
Next we were ENERGIZED by hearing and playing the Old Diesel Train Story, emphasizing the motion and momentum of the train until it reaches the next station. The attendees started, picked up momentum to reach top speed and then slowed down together to stop at their next station.
The attendees were EMPOWERED to play music together to create a beautiful rhythmic tune … it was so rhythmic that I accompanied them with my pocket flute and danced around the room. Such an empowering moment for everyone!!
We closed with waving our boomwhackers as team, using our voices and singing “When You’re Smiling.” Closing reflections comments from the attendees included: “wow, so many ways to use music to enrich our health, I feel so relaxed, this was wonderful, and So Inspired.”
Thank you volunteers and staff for inviting me to share my passion of music to enrich the quality of life of your attendees. I’m honored to part of this amazing conference! #luvservingwithmusic Music For Wellness Music Therapy in Long Term Care HealthRHYTHMS Facilitators
Becky Watson, MBA, Board Certified Music Therapist is the Founder and Owner, Music for Wellness from Norfolk, VA. She is one of the rare women and former Navy Captain who served our country for over 25 years in operational logistics.
After her Navy retirement, she completed multiple training programs in facilitation of drumming, rhythm, keyboard, and a degree in Music Therapy plus a 6 month music therapy internship at Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, VA. Becky creates rhythm based programs and music therapy services to enhance the quality of life in supporting the health and well-being of older adults living with dementia, care partners and health care professionals in the Geriatric Industry. Becky is also a certified Teepa Snow Positive Approach to Care (PAC) trainer/coach and provides dementia awareness workshops to care partners and dementia health care professionals. She also conducts inter-generational music therapy programs to bridge the generations of preschoolers and individuals living with dementia.
More information may be found at: http://www.alz.org/cwva/in_my_community_about.asp
The mission of the Central and Western Virginia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is to eliminate the incurability of Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, and to enhance the care and support for individuals, their families, and caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Our vision is to create a world where Alzheimer’s disease becomes curable and preventable while we continue to optimize the quality of life for those affected with the disease, as well as their loved ones and families.
http://Music4Wellness.net Music for YOUR Wellness, Music for Wellness, LLC, 757-563-3488
email: info@music4wellness.net
For more information on Music Therapy, check out our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/MusicForYourWellness
