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| Pictured is Sarah Chilcote |
“My life was going in circles,” stated Chilcote, a native of Sidney, explaining that she had had a number of jobs while living in Washington, D.C. “I was on a combined missionary and pilgrimage trip to Israel in 2010 and one day we were visiting a Palestinian refugee camp. Our guide explained that many of the kids in the camp suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder brought on my by raids in the middle of the night by armed soldiers.” Hearing this, she said, was a turning point in her life.
“It was the green light I had been waiting for,” she said. “I realized that I wanted to work with people who are suffering in life and need help. I knew then that I could use the gift I had been given to help others.”
Shortly after that, she applied to Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia and completed the course for the Professional Studies Program for Music Therapy. Before receiving her degree, she needed to complete a six month music therapy intern program. She applied at State of the Heart and was accepted as an intern.
State of the Heart Hospice has two board certified Music Therapists, Brittany Scheer and Amy Pearson. Music therapy is an important part of the care provided by State of the Heart. Music therapy emerged in hospice care in the early to mid 1990’s. Through the use of music therapy, a patient can experience improved quality of life, easing of depression and the “opening” of channels for conversation. The therapy also helps hospice patients with relaxation, spiritual support, life experiences and coping skills with grief.
State of the Heart is one of only three hospice programs in Ohio, out of over 100, that offers an internship program. There are no hospice internship programs in Indiana.
Chilcote is no stranger to hospice care as her father is a hospice chaplain with Wilson Hospice in Sidney. The topic of dealing with patients confronting a life limiting illness was discussed routinely while she was growing up. “I have always had a heart for working with the elderly,” Chilcote explained. “I think music therapy and hospice suits my personality.” After she receives her degree in December, she plans to pursue working as a music therapist in a hospice program. And, she is taking her academic credentials to a higher level by pursuing a Masters Degree in Music Therapy.
Amy Pearson, who has been a music therapist with State of the Heart for the past six years stated “Sarah has been an exceptional intern. Her outstanding music skills and her compassion have benefited several hospice patients and families. She has shown much growth over the past three months. I look forward to her continued growth for the remainder of her internship.”
Pearson, along with Scheer, monitors Chilcote’s internship in addition to offering guidance and advice.
Chilcote related two experiences she has had during her brief time with State of the Heart. “One day, I visited an Alzheimer’s patient in a nursing home,” she said. She was not sure of what response she would have from the patient as she was very quiet. “However, one of the goals in music therapy is to provide a presence for the patient.
“At the beginning of the visit, she expressed that she was feeling bad. I played some songs for her and when I finished, I asked her how she was feeling. She looked at me and said ‘I feel better’.” The experience was gratifying, she explained. “We are looking at bringing quality of life to a patient. If I am able to provide a soothing music environment and the patient has had a positive experience, then I feel as if I have fulfilled my role as a music therapist.”
For the past month, Chilcote has been visiting a 26-year-old State of the Heart patient who is bed ridden and unable to speak. Often, the patient’s mother is there when Chilcote visits. “The music I play is soothing, and helps cover the sound of machines that are humming,” Chilcote said. “I sing songs that his mother likes and knows that he likes. It comforts her and helps the family. Occasionally, I will get an indication from eye movement in the patient that he is connecting with the music. Sometimes I have noticed that he is restless and tense and sense that he becomes more relaxed with the music.”
Chilcote added, “The patient’s mother was concerned about her son’s five-year-old daughter and the loss she would experience. I asked some questions about the granddaughter and put the words from her response into a melody. I recorded the song and put it on a CD with other songs that the young man liked.” The CD will bring back memories of her father later in life to the young child. “The song honors the patient as a father, comforts the mother, and will be a remembrance for the young daughter,” Chilcote said.
“I am really enjoying my internship,” Chilcote added. “I like the care we provide as an agency and the way a team of caregivers works together to care for both the patient and the family.” She will complete her internship in November.
State of the Heart Hospices, with offices in Greenville, Coldwater and Portland, cares for patients and families in eastern Indiana and western Ohio who are confronting a life limiting illness. A team made up of a physician, nurses, hospice aides, social workers, bereavement specialists, chaplains, volunteers and the music therapists address the needs of the entire family unit. For more information about any of the services provided by the agency, visit the web site at www.stateoftheheartcare.org.