Concerts of Comfort provide valuable time off for family members and
caregivers. Concerts are scheduled by a hospital or nursing home at
their facility, providing an opportunity for patients, family,
caregivers and facility staff to enjoy live harp music in an informal
and convenient setting. Concerts of Comfort offer the same benefit as a
private visit from Harp
Instead in a setting that allows groups to
gather.
= Call
for information on the next scheduled concert.
= Music
requests are welcome.
=
Participation is flexible and meets the schedule requirements
of the audience.
Purpose:
To offer a place of refuge from illness and suffering for patients,
their families and caregivers, including on site staff.
Benefits:
Relaxation, lessening of stress levels and respite are a few of the
benefits of a Concert of Comfort. Those who attend a concert will find
they are better able to cope with their situation. Music has been shown
to reduce pain perception, alter blood pressure and respiration,
ameliorate chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and improve mood,
all with no adverse side effects. Lingering benefits continue with the
memory of the music.
Format:
Concerts of Comfort are informal. Attendees come and go at will,
allowing participation to be flexible. Concerts may be formed
spontaneously by allowing attendees to make requests on the spot, or
more formally programmed around a specific genre of music. There is no
dress code, allowing patients to attend as they are without
embarrassment.
Place:
Concerts take place in hospitals, nursing facilities, rehab centers,
churches, and other publicly accessible venues. Lobbies, cafeterias and
meeting rooms all provide space suitable for Comfort Concerts. On rare
occasions, concerts may be scheduled in a more private private setting.
Contact your local health care facility to find out if they offer a
Concert of Comfort.
Duration:
One to two hours is the average length of a Concert of
Comfort.
This allows a large block of time during which patients and their
guests and staff can find time to attend all or part of the concert.
Duration of attendance is left at the discretion of each audience
member.
Harp
Instead Stories: personal reflections on the impact of music
Photos by Adriaan Van Wijk of http://yourrealyou.smugmug.com/
Research
about the healing benefits of music
