Heartbeat Legacy Songs
A heartbeat legacy song is a collaborative song created by a client, music therapist, and loved ones. This project is a meaningful process when an individual has been referred to hospice, or end-of-life care, but can be experienced at any time in an individual’s life for other psychological or spiritual purposes.
The term legacy in the context of hospice care typically includes the creation of a legacy project. Legacy projects are tangible, physical artifacts that can bring comfort to clients while coping with a terminal illness and can help loved ones feel connected with them after they are no longer physically here with us.
Some clients have described legacy projects as a way to leave something meaningful behind for their loved ones - something to keep their legacy alive.
As music therapists, we know that music is deeply interwoven into our lives and experiences. Music is the soundtrack of our lives and holds the memories, sounds, and emotions of our life experiences.
For this reason, we use our innermost music, our driving force - the heartbeat - as the foundation for our legacy projects and find meaningful ways to bring in a client or family’s selected song into this therapeutic space.
Cost/Description
The total cost of the heartbeat legacy song is $150 and includes the following:
A series of two music therapy sessions with a board certified music therapist
An audio recording of the client’s isolated heartbeat
An audio and/or video recording of the client’s finished heartbeat song
In the first session, the music therapist will meet with the client (and loved ones) to gather relevant medical, familial, psychological, spiritual, and musical needs or preferences. The music therapist will also use this time to record the client’s heartbeat and select a song or composition for the project.
In the second session, the music therapist will work with the client (and loved ones) to create an audio and/or video recording using live music created by the client or live music co-created by the client, family, and music therapist.
Each heartbeat legacy song is unique because it is individualized to the musical, psychological, and spiritual preferences of each client.
Heartbeat legacy songs can include:
A favorite or meaningful song
A song or instrumental piece composed by the client (independently or co-created with the family or music therapist)
An instrumental piece
A spoken poem accompanied by music
A spoken letter accompanied by music
About Our Music Therapists
Our team of music therapists are trained medical professionals who have obtained board certification by the Certification Board for Music Therapists and hold the credential (MT-BC). Additionally, each of the therapists working with this program have received specialized training to provide music therapy in hospice and palliative care settings.
Music therapists receive training to understand the role of music throughout all stages of disease process and with individuals diagnosed with terminal illnesses.
We will honor the individual and collective believes or needs of both the client and their loved ones.
Schedule a Heartbeat Legacy Project
A heartbeat legacy project can be scheduled at our center, but the client may also request both of the sessions to be completed at their home for comfort.
