More than a melody: How music therapy brings comfort and connection at Hennick Bridgepoint

For patients facing some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives — serious illness, chronic pain, cognitive decline or the final stages of life — the Music Therapy Program offers something clinical care alone cannot: comfort, connection and a way to be seen as more than a diagnosis. This is especially significant for Hennick Bridgepoint patients, many of whom are undergoing complex rehabilitation and remain in care for extended periods, making meaningful emotional support and opportunities for engagement essential to their overall well-being.

Music Therapy, an activity offered under the Therapeutic Recreation Program, is woven into palliative care, complex continuing care and rehabilitation. It complements medical treatment by addressing the emotional and psychological dimensions of illness — dimensions that often shape how patients experience recovery, decline and dignity.

Delivered by a trained music therapist, Hennick Bridgepoint’s program weaves music into care in deeply personal ways. Sessions may involve listening, singing, playing simple instruments, reminiscing or simply resting as gentle music fills the room. The goals vary by patient: easing pain, reducing agitation, lifting mood, encouraging movement or helping someone express emotions that words no longer reach.

A 2014 summary of evidence for the effectiveness of music therapy¹ found that it can significantly improve overall and social functioning, reduce symptoms of depression, enhance sleep quality and support motor function in people with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. Research has also shown that music therapy benefits patients living with serious mental illness and those recovering from complex medical events.

The healing power of music, one patient at a time

The program’s impact is perhaps most powerfully understood through the patients whose days — and often spirits — it helps transform. When physio or occupational therapy feels overwhelming, patients sometimes step back. But music often draws them forward, helping them get out of bed and ready to participate again.

For Mary, a patient receiving palliative care, music therapy has become a lifeline. Over time, she’s developed a close bond with her therapist, often requesting familiar songs by her favourite artists. As she listens, she will sometimes sing softly, and share stories of her childhood, her family and sadness about her illness. “This is the best thing that could have happened,” she told the therapist during one session. Through music, Mary has found space to laugh, cry and remember.

For Kim, a patient who would spend long afternoons alone, music has bridged language and culture. When the therapist plays traditional folk songs from her cultural roots, Kim claps, sings along, and shares memories of her life before coming to Canada. The music has restored a sense of belonging, reminding her of who she was beyond the hospital walls.

And Bill, a WWII Canadian Air Force veteran, spoke about his hobby of making jewelry out of scrap airplane metal to gift to his wife when the therapist played songs of the wartime era. Music allowed him to reflect on this meaningful lifetime experience and share these memories with his family.

These stories are not isolated. They reflect the everyday impact of a program designed to meet patients where they are — emotionally, cognitively, spiritually and physically.

Supporting the whole person

Music therapy supports not only patients, but also families and staff. Observers describe how patients relax, sleep better, show less pain and rediscover joy — small but meaningful shifts that transform the atmosphere of care. One family member called the therapist “a gifted healer,” adding, “Music therapy is the highlight of my child’s week for quality of life.”

Clinically, the program addresses complex needs. From patients living with dementia to those recovering from a stroke, there are many ways that music can positively impact care. According to the Canadian Association of Music Therapists, singing can help trigger memories or discussions of the past in patients living with dementia. In instances where someone has experienced a stroke, music can help stimulate language centres in their brain, helping with the ability to recover from speech challenges. Playing music can also have gross and fine motor benefits for individuals who have experience neurological trauma related to a stroke, head injury or a disease.

Family members also notice a difference. One parent shared that the earliest signs of improvement came through sound. “The first day my child hummed along, I knew we were making progress,” the parent wrote. Over time, the patient began responding to the therapist’s voice and moving with the rhythm. Through music, moments of connection and recognition began to return.

The sound of philanthropy in action

The Music Therapy Program is able to reach more patients in large part because of philanthropy. Since it started, a gift from Elaine Slater and her family, made it possible to expand the program to offer 18 hours of care to patients throughout the week. But because this program has limited funding through the hospital’s operating budget, it relies on ongoing donor support to reach its patients.

Donor support makes it possible to sustain specialized services that build on standard care, enriching the patient experience with added compassion and connection.

In a hospital where many journeys are long and uncertain, music becomes a constant. It offers patients a way to remember who they are, to feel less alone, and to find moments of peace when they are needed most.

As one patient told his therapist after a session, “You warm the cockles of my heart.”

You can help bring comfort and emotional support to patients during their most vulnerable moments

Your generosity can help ensure more patients experience the proven therapeutic benefits of music — from easing anxiety and pain to improving mood, memory and connection. Donate today. 

¹Kamioka H, Tsutani K, Yamada M, Park H, Okuizumi H, Tsuruoka K, Honda T, Okada S, Park SJ, Kitayuguchi J, Abe T, Handa S, Oshio T, Mutoh Y. Effectiveness of music therapy: a summary of systematic reviews based on randomized controlled trials of music interventions. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2014 May 16;8:727-54. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S61340. PMID: 24876768; PMCID: PMC4036702.