Acute patients
The healthcare world is filled with noise; alarms, people chatting, cleaners pushing carts and much more. It becomes so familiar that staff doesn’t even think about it, repressing it becomes second nature. So it may be easy to forget that the patient is probably having a completely different experience. Especially an acute patient that perhaps hasn’t had much interaction with healthcare environments previously.
Care for Sound
Per Thorgaard. Aalbor University Hospital, gave a moving presentation during the Care for Sound seminar, two years ago on this topic. In his presentation he also let the audience listen to what it sounds like to be an acute illness patient. He has a great interest in sound and music and says that it is common by doctor colleagues to share that interest. He also points out how vulnerable and sensitive you are – or become – as an admitted patient. They can close their eyes to avoid seeing things but they can´t shut their ears!
Music intervention as medicin is very real, says Per. Research has been going on for many years now and documentation supports this statement.The knowledge of the good effect is growing rapidly know and we can expect a huge development in using musci/sound as medicin. But acoustics is a problem. We have these old hospital buildings that does not support a good sound environment. We need to find a balance between acoustics in these building and the knowledge of the healing impact it has. The Care for Sound symposium was a great opportunity to spread the word and draw attention to the issue.
Listen
It can be difficult to understand other people’s perspectives. Here it’s fairly easy. I for one would be petrified.
Have a listen and see how you feel.
Interview with Per Thorgaard here.
