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Spectrum: Everheart Hospice Music Therapist Amy Pearson On How Music Helps Patients And Families

Welcome to Spectrum, a daily public affairs presentation of WCSM. On this episode, host Kevin Sandler welcomed Amy Pearson, a board certified music therapist with Everheart Hospice, for a conversation about what music therapy really is and what it can do for patients and their families during hospice care.

What is music therapy in hospice care

Pearson explained that music therapy is a clinical profession that uses music as a tool to help people reach goals that can be physical, emotional, spiritual, or social. In hospice, that often means meeting a patient and family exactly where they are that day and using music to support comfort, relaxation, expression, and connection.

She said every visit is different, and the first step is assessment in the moment. Sometimes the room is calm. Other times, it is heavy, tense, or emotionally exhausted. Her job is to read the cues and then use music in a way that helps.

How she knows what someone needs

Pearson described how much she relies on what she can see and feel in a room. She gave an example of walking into a difficult situation where a nurse was trying to feed a patient who could no longer swallow, and the family was struggling with what they were witnessing. In moments like that, she may step back, allow the needed conversation and care to happen, then support the family with music later when they are ready to process.

And for many hospice patients, energy is limited. If someone is sleeping or too tired to talk, the music is still valuable. Pearson said the goal can simply be maintaining calm and providing a peaceful space.

Is it just playing favorite songs

Pearson told Sandler that patient preferred music matters, because unfamiliar or disliked styles can cause the opposite effect, including anxiety. But she also noted that music therapy is not always about playing a song exactly as it was recorded.

Sometimes it is adapting the music, slowing it down, reshaping it, or using only parts of it to match breathing and the mood of the room. Other times, recorded music is the best option, especially when a specific sound cannot be recreated live.

Sandler pointed out something many listeners have probably wondered as generations change: the request list is going to keep shifting. Not everyone is going to want big band standards. Some people will want the music that shaped their life.

When the patient cannot speak, the music can still be for the family

Pearson emphasized that hospice care supports families too. In situations where a patient can no longer communicate or engage, she often works with family members who are present and carrying the emotional weight.

She shared an example involving a late stage dementia patient where the spouse was the one receiving much of the benefit. The music became a form of social connection and spiritual support, especially since the spouse could not easily leave home or attend church.

Small reactions still matter

One of the most meaningful parts of the conversation was Pearson explaining how music can reach people even near the end of life. She said responses can be subtle, like a small smile, an eyebrow raise, or a toe tap, but those moments can mean a lot to families. Her message was simple: music is part of us from birth to death, and life still matters for as long as someone is here.

A moment that stayed with her

Asked about a time that confirmed the value of her work, Pearson described visiting a home patient dying of cancer who was in severe pain despite medication. She used his preferred classic rock on acoustic guitar and sang in a way that matched his breathing and body cues. Over time, the patient relaxed and shifted into a more natural position, and the patient’s wife was moved to tears, telling her it was the first time he had looked comfortable in bed.

Pearson described it as an example of music and medicine working together to help bring comfort.

Everheart’s emotional support bears and heartbeat recordings

Sandler and Pearson also discussed Everheart Hospice legacy programs, including emotional support bears that can contain a recorded heartbeat and, if the family wants, a voice message.

Pearson explained that the bear includes a pouch for a small recordable device. Staff can record a patient’s heartbeat, pair it with a message, or provide a message alone. The goal is to give families something tangible they can hold and hear long after their loved one is gone.

She shared a story about a woman who lost her husband and slept with the bear nightly, using the recording so often the batteries wore out and she needed a replacement device. Pearson noted that grief often hits hardest at night, and for some people, something like that can be genuinely helpful.

How to ask about music therapy

Pearson said Everheart Hospice offers music therapy to its patients, and there is no additional cost for trying it. She also noted that patients may not want it right away, because starting hospice can feel overwhelming with new visits, equipment, and changes at home. Her advice was that it is okay to try it later, and it is okay if someone decides it is not for them.

She also mentioned Everheart is in the process of hiring another board certified music therapist.

Becoming a music therapist

Pearson explained the professional path includes an accredited bachelor’s degree program, followed by a board exam to become a music therapist board certified. Continuing education is required, and Ohio now also has licensure for practicing music therapists.

As for instruments, she plays flute and guitar, along with piccolo, and has basic training on piano and organ.

A final takeaway

Near the end of the program, Pearson offered a piece of advice shaped by years of hospice work: do not wait. If there is something you want to do or a goal you have, do not hesitate, because nobody truly knows how much time they have.

That theme, along with the idea that small moments still matter, ran through the entire conversation.

Spectrum airs on 96.7 The Wave as a daily public affairs presentation focused on the talk of Mercer and Auglaize counties.