🎵 Music in the ICU: Healing Hearts Through Harmony 🎵
When you think of an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), you probably imagine machines beeping and doctors and nurses working hard to help the sickest patients. But something magical happened recently at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in the UK—a chamber music group called Britten Sinfonia stepped in with flutes, violas, and cellos to bring music directly to those in critical care.
“Every day can feel the same when you’re unwell, and patients in our Intensive Care Unit are generally the most unwell in the hospital, so it can be a very challenging time for patients and their families.” That’s why nurses Sian Ingham and Krissy Pride helped lead a four-day music project this spring to give patients something new—something uplifting.
Musicians Sarah O’Flynn, Bridget Carey, and Sam Glazer didn’t just perform for patients—they invited them to join in! Some patients used percussion instruments. Others conducted or improvised. Even families and staff got involved.
“Performing live music for critical care patients and their families and giving them the opportunity to participate in these sessions creates that moment of connection,” said Sam Glazer. “They’re not just a patient in a bed who is very ill, they seem to be able to recover some of their identity.”
It wasn’t just about sound—it was about feeling alive again.
One woman named Suzy shared how the music reached her sister, Hajnalka, in a powerful way: “I think it’s a great way to help patients get better. My sister loved it. I haven’t seen her move her face or her arms for three weeks, so to see her reaction to the live music was extraordinary.”
This project didn’t just lift the spirits of patients—it touched families and even hospital staff. Music made the ICU a place of healing not only for the body, but for the heart and soul.
Music has a magical way of reaching people—even when they’re at their weakest. It helps remind us that we’re not just patients or problems to be solved. We’re humans with feelings, memories, and hope. Bringing live music into the ICU proves that healing can happen in many ways—sometimes, it starts with just one beautiful note.
Source:
- https://youtu.be/vwSEDsGpOs4?si=sfFl7wv6lDEI_5Vj
- https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/news/discover-the-power-of-music-in-intensive-care/
- https://app.pictory.ai/
- https://chatgpt.com/
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