“Music is a tremendous resource for patient care and healing, and I have seen so many instances of it calming those who are agitated and nurturing those who are suffering.” The words of Teresa Texeira, a therapeutic musician at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville.
For Texeira, a flutist who serves in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive CareUnit), music is a powerful tool for overcoming barriers in communication. She says that during one session with a micro preemie, she witnessed something miraculous.
After playing a single note on her flute, the tiny patient responded by raising her leg, with all the tubes and wires, in the air. This interaction turned into a beautiful connection between the musician and the newborn – with the baby raising and lowering her limbs in response to the music.
Therapeutic music is now considered a powerful complement to traditional care at the hospital. There are other therapeutic musicians work in harmony with NGMC’s medical teams to “elevate patient experiences and promote healing.”