A new therapy program at the University of Kentucky is proving to be music to patients’ ears.
It’s not the sound you expect to fill the air when visiting a patient who’s getting chemotherapy. But that’s exactly what you’ll hear coming from UK’s hospital beds and treatment rooms. It’s thanks to the university’s new music therapy program now offered in the graduate school.
Lori Gooding, who heads the program, has seen little miracles from patients every day who are using music to help them heal. “There have been lots of moments. One that comes to mind that happened here at UK is a patient who after weeks and weeks of treating him, we probably saw him 15 times or so, seeing him get up and come and want to give me a hug as I came in the door. And I know that doesn’t sound like much, but this is a patient, who the very first time I saw him, all he could do was blink.”
And the changes are being noticed by physicians who are becoming more and more welcoming of new methods of patient care, both physically and mentally. Gooding said insurance companies have also taken notice and are now covering musical therapy at the University of Kentucky.