Amy Clements-Cortes
University of Toronto, Canada
Title: Songwriting to Facilitate Relationship Completion at End-of-Life
Biography
Biography: Amy Clements-Cortes
Abstract
Relationships are often a cause of substantial psychological pain for patients and their families at end-of-life. Anticipatory grief is commonly experienced by dying persons, focusing on multiple issues including: the loss of relationships, as well as the loss of forthcoming life events of which they will not be able to participate. Music therapy is commonly used in palliative care settings to address anticipatory grief, and is a valuable therapy for addressing relationship concerns.
At the end-of-life people often express intense gratitude about their lives and love for the people they have known. In gratitude we celebrate who we are to one another and the ways in which our lives have been shaped, loved, and moved by others. When realizing that death is imminent people often have a particular need to hear that their actions have made a difference and that that they have made a contribution in this life. Subsequently they need to express to their loved ones sentiments of love and appreciation for their actions. Songwriting is an important and effective tool for patients wishing to express sentiments at end-of-life to help them facilitate completing relationships. This short video presentation will highlight the case of one palliative care patient and the important role songwriting played in helping her say thank you, I love you and goodbye.