Ethel Cowley is a 95-year-old woman admitted to the Transition Care Program (TCP) at Dandenong North due to functional and cognitive decline. On arrival, she preferred to spend most of her time in her room, and was in considerable pain – something had to change.
Through a Department of Health-funded Dementia and Delirium Project within TCP, Ethel engaged in music therapy. Earlier in her life she was a singer and performer, with a vast knowledge of different musical genres, but what she needed was an opportunity to shine again.
A return to music
Ethel often says, “life without music isn’t worth living at all”. She eagerly dove into group and individual music therapy sessions at TCP Dandenong, including joint music therapy and physiotherapy sessions.
The physiotherapy sessions and the regular activities got Ethel moving again. She said the music therapy helped her forget her pain. She started to interact again and to make friends, even encouraging other residents to join the sessions.
During these sessions music therapist Laura Kirkwood noticed that Ethel wrote poetry and offered to put her words to music.
At first Ethel believed she couldn’t do it and didn’t see the point in trying. But while working with Laura, she started to think of song ideas. Together they wrote a song with advice for her younger self – Just Google It.
This song reflects Ethel’s creativity and current passions in her own words and voice, and is something her family will have for many years to come.
About the program
Music therapy was an important part of the larger, multidisciplinary project led by Project Officer, Melissa Roberts and Senior Clinician Praneeta Ranchod – Implementation of Person-Centred Strategies to Address Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia and Delirium in a Bed-Based Transition Care Program.
TCP is part of Aged and Rehabilitation Services and is designed to support older people following a hospital admission. Working with older people can form the basis of an incredibly rewarding career, and there are many opportunities to do so using a breadth of skills and qualifications.
Interacting with older adults – whether it’s in health, aged care, or many other areas – offers insight in the resilience, wisdom, and gratitude that comes from their stories and perspectives, and can reaffirm the importance of empathy, compassion, and the value of human connection.
Working with older people in aged care and health not only enriches their lives, it can also leave an indelible mark on your own.
Just Google It – A song for Lily
If you want the answer
To anything at all
Like if you’re playing footy
Or how to kick the ball
And if by luck you get it right
Just where the ball will fall
Just google it
That’s all
When you go on holiday
It would be wise to know
If the weather will be fine
Where you want to go
And if they have a special deal
So you can save some dough
Just google it
That’s all
If you have a question and it’s driving you insane
If you’re feeling miserable because you have a pain
You don’t need to look it up or even use your brain,
Just google it
That’s all
So if it is your birthday
And you are feeling fine
Looking for a special treat for you
You’re going out to dine
But will you eat at KFC or where you can drink some wine
Just google it, that’s all
Approved by Stuart Cavill, General Manager Kingston, Aged and Rehabilitation Services