AAHPM/HPNA Annual AssemblyBoston, MA

March 6, 2010

Music for Hospice and Palliative Care Staff

Presenters

• Amy Clarkson, MD– Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care

• Christian Sinclair, MD, FAAHPM– Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care

• Amber Wollesen, MD– Saint Luke’s Health System, Kansas City, MO

Objectives

• Analyze palliative care themes in songs from various eras and genres to help palliative care staff avoid burnout

• Utilize music as a teaching tool with staff and

learners in palliative care environments

Elements of Music

• Melody• Harmony• Rhythm• Tempo• Instrumentation• Volume• Lyrics• Context (Artist/Song)• Context (Listener)• Audience• Genre

Genres• Classical• Jazz• Electronica• Traditional• Folk• Popular• Heavy Metal• Country• Rock• Reggae• Gospel• Blues

Shared Experience

• Candle in the Wind by Elton John• Dust in the Wind by Kansas• Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door by Bob Dylan• Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton• Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw• I’ll Be Missing You by Puff Daddy

The God That Failed

“The God That Failed”Metallica

(1991)

The God That FailedI see faith in your eyes

Never you hear the discouraging liesI hear faith in your cries

Broken is the promise, betrayalThe healing hand

Held back by the deepened nailFollow the God that failed

“I’ll Fly Away”Allison Krauss

(1929)

When the shadows of this life have gone, I'll fly away;

Like a bird from these prison walls I’ve flown, I'll fly away

I'll fly away, Oh Glory I'll fly away; (in the morning)

When I die, Hallelujah, by and by, I'll fly away

Mahler’s 9th Symphony

“Casimir Pulaski Day”Sufjan Stevens

(2004)

Part 2: Small Group Section

Challenge #1 – Palliative Themes

• Using the Worksheet in front of you what are some of the themes and ideas you see in your daily palliative care and hospice work that could be reflected in a song.

• Feel free to be broad or specific• Make a long list or start to categorize

New Challenge, New Scribe

Challenge #2 - Goals

• Thinking of your different work environments brainstorm the following two things:– potential different groups /individuals/contexts– Goals of working with these groups

New Challenge, New Scribe

• Using the following song and lyrics, answer the following questions:– What characteristics of the song echo palliative

care themes?– What audience would you potentially focus this

song on?– What goals would be best suited to achieve with

this song?

Challenge #3Go On – Jack Johnson

In my rear view I watch youWatching the twilight behind the telephone linesWith nothing to prove or to assumeJust thinking that your thoughts are different than mineIn my rear view I watch youI gave you your life, but you gave me mine

I see you slowly swim awayAs the light is leaving townTo a place that I can't beBut there's no apologies

Just go on, Just go onThere are still so many things, I wanna to say to youBut go on, Just go onWe're bound by blood that's moving, the moment that we started

The moment that we started

I see perfect little eyes, watch the shadows of the cloudsAnd the surface of the ocean out the window of a planeI get nervous when I fly I'm used to walking with my feetTurbulence is like a sigh that I can't help but over think

What is the purpose of my life if it doesn't ever doWith learning to let it go live vicariously throughYou can do the same it's the least you can doCause it's a lonely little chain if you don't add to it

New Challenge, New Scribe

• Using the following song and lyrics, answer the following questions:– What characteristics of the song echo palliative

care themes?– What audience would you potentially focus this

song on?– What goals would be best suited to achieve with

this song?

Challenge #4 – Ketterling/Bedside Manners

by The Antlers

I wish that I had known in that first minute we met, the unpayabledebt that I owed you. Because you'd been abused by the bone thatrefused you, and you hired me to make up for that. Walking in thatroom when you had tubes in your arms, those singing morphine alarmsout of tune kept you sleeping and even, and I didn't believe them whenthey called you a hurricane thunderclap.

When I was checking vitals I suggested a smile. You didn't talk forawhile, you were freezing. You said you hated my tone, it made youfeel so alone, and so you told me I ought to be leaving. But somethingkept me standing by that hospital bed. I should have quit, but insteadI took care of you. You made me sleep and uneven, and I didn't believethem when they told me that there was no saving you

New Challenge, New Scribe

Challenge #5Another One Bites The Dustby Queen

• Using the following song and lyrics, answer the following questions:– What characteristics of the song echo palliative

care themes?– What audience would you potentially focus this

song on?– What goals would be best suited to achieve with

this song?

New Challenge, New Scribe

Challenge #6I Don’t Want to Die (in a Hospital)

Conor Oberst• Using the following song and lyrics, answer

the following questions:– What characteristics of the song echo palliative

care themes?– What audience would you potentially focus this

song on?– What goals would be best suited to achieve with

this song?

I don’t wanna die in the hospital No I don’t wanna die in the hospital X2You gotta take me back outside

I don’t wanna hear all those factory soundsLooking like the girl in the sleeping gownI don’t wanna die in the hospital You gotta take me back outside

Can you make a sound to distract the nurseBefore I take a ride in that long black hearseI don’t wanna die in the hospital You gotta take me back outside

Help me get my boots on X6I gotta go, go, goCause I don’t have long

Yeah I don’t give a damn what those doctors sayI don’t wanna spend another lonesome dayI don’t wanna die in the hospital You gotta take me back outside

They don’t let you smoke and you can’t get drunkAll there is to watch are these soap operasI don’t wanna die in the hospital You gotta take me back outside

Can you get this tube out of my armMorphine in my blood like a slow sad songI don’t wanna die in the hospital

You gotta take me back outside

Help me get my boots on X6I gotta go go go Cos I don’t have long

Is there still a world at my windowsillAll there ever was I remember stillI don’t wanna die in the hospital You gotta take me back outside

Don’t know when it’s day or when its nightAll I ever see are florescent lightsI’m not gonna die in this hospital You gotta take me back outside

They give me all these flowers & big balloonsBut I’m not gonna stay in this little roomI’m not gonna die in the hospital You gotta take me back outside

Are the stars still in the skyIs that fat moon on the riseFeel the earth against my feetAs the cold wind calls for me

I ain’t gonna die in the hospital (to outro)

arts.pallimed.org