History of Using Music to Ease Life Passages
Many aboriginal cultures use special drum rhythms or vocal chants to aid the passage both into and out of life. It is likely that this practice goes back to the earliest beginnings of our species especially given that other mammals, notably elephants and whales, also vocalize during these times of transition.
The Passing Bell in Victoria Hospice's Rooftop Garden
There is documented evidence from the 11th Century A.D. which describes the use of songs or chants to ease the dying process for patients in European hospice infirmaries. These hospices were usually part of monastic communities. The doctors and nurses there noticed that some chants seemed to ease specific patient symptoms such as respiratory distress, anxiety, or severe pain levels. Their observations were written in the margins of various medical documents from that time, so that this information could be passed along to future practitioners.
When care for the end of life shifted away from local healers, elders, or monasteries and into the hands of doctors and hospital staff, Western culture began to institutionalize the process of illness and dying. Over time, the practice of using music to promote a gentler passage out of life was mostly lost. However, in the second half of the last century, individuals and caregiving groups began to challenge prevailing cultural attitudes towards death. Hospice organizations were developed to specifically care for the dying, both within and outside of the hospital setting, and music support was gradually added back into their more compassionate care approach.
This historical perspective helps us understand that groups like The Bedside Singers and Threshold choir are simply reviving a very ancient practice by helping to integrate bedside singing back into our modern health care system.
Victoria Hospice Rooftop Garden
We have been inspired to sing at bedsides by the belief that music can offer support to those who are ill or nearing the end of life at a time when spoken word may no longer be enough. We also hope that our singing may make a small difference to the way that families remember the final days of their loved one.
