Article by guest author Alexis Baker, MT-BC, CDP, owner of Bridgetown Music Therapy

As a music therapist, one of the questions I am asked all the time is “What exactly is music therapy?”
 
The formal definition of music therapy as defined by the American Music Therapy Association is:

“The clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” (AMTA, 2019)
 
This definition can be broken into two parts:

1. It involves the use of evidence-based music interventions designed to accomplish specific goals based on the needs of an individual or group.
2. All of this happens within a therapeutic relationship, and that person is a credentialed professional music therapist.

 
To break these parts down further, evidence-based interventions are simply music-oriented experiences or activities such as singing, playing an instrument, moving to music, and songwriting, all of which have been studied and shown to be effective in promoting health and improving quality of life.
 
Next, music therapy is always goal oriented. The focus is using music to achieve specific, measurable goals and objectives. A few examples of general goal areas include improving communication abilities, increasing range of motion, reducing stress/anxiety, and promoting social connection. The music therapy process involves assessment, treatment planning, implementation, documentation, and evaluation.
 
Finally, music therapy is based on a therapeutic relationship which implies there’s an established relational bond involving rapport and consistency. This person is a professional board-certified music therapist. As a side note: According to the Certification Board for Music Therapists, there are currently only 10,000 board-certified music therapists in the U.S.
 
Music therapists go through rigorous training to enter the field as a certified and highly-trained professional. They complete a specialized bachelor’s degree in music therapy which is like a double major. Coursework covers a wide variety of areas including music theory, ear training, music history, psychology and human behavior, human anatomy, and therapeutic applications. Music therapists are required to be competent on four instruments: guitar, piano, voice, and percussion. Training also includes 1,200 clinical training hours. Following completion of all coursework and hours, they must take and pass a national board exam to earn the credentials MT-BC (Music Therapist-Board Certified). Recertification is every five years which requires the completion of 100 CMTE (Continuing Music Therapy Education) credits.
 
Music therapists can work with any age, all the way from babies in the womb or preemies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to older adults and end of life/hospice. Music therapists work in many kinds of settings including adult day programs, childcare programs, long term care, hospitals, schools, rehabilitative facilities, community health centers, hospice care, and private practice. Music therapists serve a wide variety of populations in these settings including but not limited to people with developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, mental health conditions, issues associated with aging, dementia and various other diagnoses, disabilities, or diseases. 

It’s exciting to hear about what music therapy is, but many people struggle to recognize it as a clearly defined practice. They see anything music-related and want to call it ‘music therapy.’ It’s true, music can function therapeutically in a myriad of ways, but the formal practice of music therapy is specific and limited, so let’s talk about what music therapy is not.

To put it simply, music therapy is not music education or music entertainment. It can involve aspects of education and entertainment. It can even sometimes look like education and entertainment, but music therapy is different from these two fields.

Music education is the structured teaching and learning of music theory, practice, and appreciation. It involves more than just learning to play instruments or sing—it encompasses a wide array of skills and knowledge, including reading music, understanding rhythm, harmony, and composition, and exploring music history. Music education fosters creativity and cultural understanding by introducing students to a variety of musical genres and traditions from around the world.
 
At its core, music education helps develop essential cognitive and motor skills. Studies have shown that learning music enhances memory, improves problem-solving abilities, and sharpens attention to detail. It also boosts emotional intelligence by providing an outlet for self-expression and understanding the emotions conveyed through music.
 
For learners of any age, music education often starts with basic concepts like rhythm and melody and gradually progresses to more advanced topics such as composition and performance. In academic settings, it is commonly taught through choir, band, or orchestra programs, allowing students to collaborate and learn teamwork.
 
Beyond the classroom, music education is accessible through private lessons, community programs, and online courses, making it available to people of all ages. Whether someone aspires to become a professional musician or simply wants to enjoy the personal and social benefits of music, education in music nurtures a lifelong appreciation for this art form while enhancing overall personal development.
 
Music education plays a vital role in shaping well-rounded individuals, enriching both their academic and emotional lives.

Music entertainment, on the other hand, is more of a receptive experience. It’s enjoying music for the value of being entertained.
 
Music entertainment is the broad field of performances, events, and productions centered around music as a source of enjoyment for audiences. It encompasses everything from live concerts, festivals, and DJ sets to recorded music, streaming services, and music videos. Whether experienced in person or through media platforms, music entertainment is a universal form of enjoyment that transcends language and cultural barriers.
 
At the heart of music entertainment is the connection between artists and audiences. Musicians and performers create experiences through their music that can evoke emotions, tell stories, or simply provide a fun atmosphere. These performances might be intimate acoustic sets or massive stadium concerts, where production elements such as lighting, sound effects, and visuals further enhance the experience.
 
In today’s digital age, music entertainment has expanded beyond live events to include various digital formats. Streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube allow people to access vast libraries of music from artists worldwide, while social media enables fans to interact with their favorite musicians directly. Music videos, television shows, and films that feature or are centered around music have become key parts of the entertainment industry.
 
Ultimately, music entertainment is about creating memorable, emotional, and engaging experiences. It serves as a means of relaxation, celebration, and connection, providing joy and excitement for individuals and communities alike. From the casual listener to the devoted fan, music entertainment touches lives by bringing people together through the power of sound.

We are now aware there’s music therapy, music education, and music entertainment. All of these are important, and each serves various purposes. But what if something doesn’t fit the definition of formal music therapy? Or it’s not quite pure music entertainment, or it doesn’t fall under ‘music education’? There is one more term to introduce you to: ‘music engagement’.
 
Engagement is somewhat of a buzzword recently. Music engagement doesn’t have a formal definition, but it does offer a helpful description for things other than pure music therapy, entertainment, and education. Music engagement can incorporate elements of all three of the above. Music engagement is participating in music-based activities for the benefit of participating in music-based activities.
 
As a board-certified music therapist, I’m a huge supporter of music therapy services; however, having been in the field for the past 10+ years, I know that music therapy services can often be expensive and inaccessible. There just aren’t enough music therapists to serve all needs everywhere, especially within senior care. It can also be cost-prohibitive or difficult to access geographically. For example, what about rural areas? This presents several problems for which I wanted to find a solution.
 
I created our virtual music engagement program for many reasons. At the center of it all is my passion and mission in life to use music to make a difference in older adults living with dementia.

Second, this program was created in response to Covid. It started out as an alternative when the pandemic was limiting activities. It can still function in this way. Beyond Covid, however:

• it’s a cost-effective solution to life enrichment through music
• it’s a turn-key activity for busy care home providers and staff
• it’s accessible 24/7 with lots of variety to choose from
• it’s a high-quality alternative when other options simply don’t fit the budget or are inaccessible.

 
Finally, I created it as a music engagement program, for individuals and groups to ENGAGE with music for the purpose and benefits of engaging with music!

For more information about Bridgetown Music Therapy and our virtual music engagement program for care homes, click here.

What I love most is the satisfaction I get when I see a resident move in to our home, settle in, and blend in with other residents and begin to regain some of their strength back. I love the joy and contentment I see in the faces of residents' families when they know their family member is well taken care of.

​Also, I am a father of two girls, ages 5 and 8 years old, and I love sports - especially soccer and basketball. 

Orchard Adult Care Home: A Serene Place to Call home
Where Seniors and Adults with Disabilities Receive the Care and Respect they Deserve
Phone: 503-618-1133
[email protected] 

My husband and I arrived together in the United States from Kenya in 1995. We flew into Los Angeles with only $70 between us, and I was 9 months pregnant. We started our lives in the United States in California but moved to Seattle, Washington two years later.
 
Being African immigrants, we are used to taking care of our elderly and I helped to take care of my grandma when I was a little girl. We didn’t have nursing homes in Kenya then. When our parents grew old, we’d take care of them. It was a new experience for us when we came to America and realized we could work in care settings to take care of elders. We decided to move from California to Washington because most of our family was in Seattle.
 
I started working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and started working in a nursing home in 1997. We recognized that it is easy to get a job as a CNA and raise a family. Within a few weeks, you can be working with a certificate from the state. While raising a family, we found this to be easier than having an office job, especially arriving from Kenya. I then began working in in-home care and was also working at an adult family home. I worked as a CNA for a total of six years.
 
My husband was in a different field before we started this business, mostly in computer software engineering and health information management systems focused on global health. Switching his career to be part of this business was a challenge, but he fit in quite fast,  and I value his support.

I was encouraged by my manager at the time who was a registered nurse (RN) and was the owner of the adult family home I was working in. She encouraged me to go to school to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN). She saw something in me. In fact, she once told me if she ever got ill or needed care, she would want me to be her nurse. After graduating as an LPN, I worked at a home care agency for six years while pursuing my RN degree.
 
After graduation, I continued working for the home care agency. Soon thereafter, I went back to the same school to get my bachelor's degree in nursing, BSN. Soon after graduation, I started working at Valley Medical Hospital, a University of Washington affiliate. I worked there for six years - three of those years were in the intensive care unit (ICU). I worked there up until January of 2021, which was right before starting our Troutdale Adult Home Care business in Oregon. 

As compared to institutional care, you can care for people in a more person-centered way. For example, regarding a resident's diet, the idea is to create an environment that is as like a family home as possible. Serving only five people we can really tailor the menu to the residents' desires, so this is never a problem.
 
Because it is a home-like setting, we can be more flexible in involving the special and important family and friend connections. We feel it provides better outcomes for the residents in this type of care setting. We have live-in caregivers, and they get to know the residents in a uniquely special way, as compared to many other places where turnover is high and the few caregivers working must care for so many. There is more consistency here, and this is good for everyone. 

Because of my experience and training I can move into any high-acuity care situation with a resident and provide the right care to them with confidence, ease, and experience. When giving reports or communicating with the healthcare teams, I understand the language and can interpret important information. This is information such as what to ask and how to use my voice as an advocate, and this can make things so much clearer for everyone. This matters for quality of care. This experience and skill set makes a difference.

We live where we work. Having the flexibility makes a real difference and I enjoy being my own boss. Countless times in my career my patients or residents have told me they cannot do what I do for people, and they don’t know how I do it. It is in those times I know I am making a difference, and we get to make this difference in our own care home and do this together.

We have four kids: three boys, and one girl. In this country, there is the old motto from the Army “be all that you can be,” and as immigrants, we feel we are here to achieve our dreams. Now, we are doing just that, and we know we cannot do this where we come from. Also, as immigrants, we are so very grateful to have the opportunities we've had and to create the life for our family that we want.
 
Together, we notice some challenges in this business. Finding caregivers is one of the biggest and we know this is a problem in many different healthcare settings. As a community of care home providers, we do not have a voice yet. We, and some other interested providers, are looking to gather and create a Council of Providers and have a seat at the table at both the state and county level to create necessary changes in the industry.
 
You can reach out to Margaret at [email protected].

​How long have you worked in the adult care home business?

Article by Matt Gannon

Article by Matt Gannon

In honor of National Caregiver Day on February 19th, we wanted to highlight the work of our amazing adult foster care home providers in Oregon. 

Matt Gannon spent some time talking with provider Noel Ngure, RN with Living Springs Homes in Portland. Please read below to learn more about Noel.

How long have you worked in the adult care home business?

I’ve been a licensed care home owner since the Spring of 2020.

In 2004, I relocated to this country after having been a a high school teacher for 12 years. I started working humbly as a CNA, went to LVN school in 2007, doubling efforts since I was in my bachelor's class at that time. I graduated in 2008 with bachelor's degree in human services with a major in management. In 2009, I started my master's degree journey and graduating in 2011 with my Masters in Education: Curriculum and Instruction. My passion of offering competent, uncompromised care continued pushing me. In 2014, I started my RN classes, and by grace, we are here today successfully.

What do you love most about the work you do?
​
The results. In 2017 I was found with Invasive Ductular Carcinoma. The care I received from my family was amazing. My RN daughter quit work to take care of me. When one day I said I'd never repay her, she replied, "Mum , Pass it on." Those are powerful words do drive us to performance.

When I take care of a family member living with dementia and observe her every day, seeing the positive progress, the strength and persistent beauty despite the situation, that encourages me. When I work with a client and see them improve, change and progress with near-normal life, it makes me smile and move forward. I love the difference I am making in the lives of the people I touch in this career. The impact made is immense, and this gives me strength.

What do you believe makes someone’s work successful?

Consistency and continuity of care make someone's work successful. We are consistent in what we do and this allows better communication between our team players. Communication is key, or else we would have a big mess. Caregivers take time to talk to each other, passing over clear and concise communication. This is not about competition, it's about bringing our strength to the table and doing what each of us does best for productive results. This leads to competent care, which is encompassed by integrity. 
​
Accountability is key, every one of us has to take responsibility of what we do or what we miss. A positive attitude for both the licensee and the caretakers is very important, and we have to support each other for best results. We licensees need to allow our staff to bring their strengths to table, allow them to positively utilize their skills without focusing on weaknesses. This is not a competitive business, it's about offering competent care.

Anything else you’d like us to know about you?
​
​We are a Christian home, we practice our Christian values and have a table for prayer every morning for everyone to come to if they choose.

​I am hopeful in the years to come we will have more homes, caregivers, and more people reached through the care we can give.