How Ohio State music therapists improvised to help cancer patients during the pandemic
The improvisational skills of Terel Jackson’s musical background came in handy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jackson, MMT, NMT-F, MT-BC, leads the growing music therapy program at The James Cancer Hospital, which uses guided experiences to provide patients and caregivers with the tools they need to improve quality of life during stressful times.
“Think of it as a tool to help people make positive changes in their lives,” Jackson says. “It’s more than passively listening to music — it’s teaching people how to be more intentional and targeted with their music experiences, and helping them learn how to transfer the resulting gains to other, non-musical areas of life.”
The programs are fun, interactive and create a community of patients and caregivers all dealing with major life changes.
Going virtual
“We had to adapt and switch to all virtual services [because of COVID-19]," Jackson says. "We experimented and improvised, and have learned how to give people the same level of quality, interactive experiences as if they were doing them in-person. I helped patients make instruments, such as drums, out of household items, like cereal boxes. When we worked on activities that involved dance — like hula or Bharatanatyam dance — I’d put my cell phone on a tripod during the telehealth session so the patients could see my entire body when I demonstrated the moves."
Group therapy
"We started our first-ever lunch-and-listen virtual music therapy group — it's like a book club but with music,” Jackson says. “The group gives people the opportunity to come together with other folks experiencing the stress from dealing with cancer and being more isolated during the pandemic. It creates joy and helps participants build meaningful experiences they can share with their families and friends.”
Lessons learned
“We’ve learned a lot about how to be more flexible in providing music therapy for folks who live far away or maybe don’t have transportation or childcare, or are transitioning to hospice; this ability to reach even more people is so important,” Jackson says.
The number of people participating in music therapy more than doubled during the pandemic — a sign that Jackson's virtual improvisational skills and programs were successful.
The program’s offerings are again available in person at The James Cancer Hospital and the Cancer Supportive Care Clinic at the Martha Morehouse Medical Tower, as well as through telehealth. Patients are invited to choose which method they want to use according to their needs, schedules and comfort levels.
Ohio State offers two additional music programs for James patients, caregivers and guests: MusicCare, in which volunteer musicians perform in clinical areas of The James, and the Heather Pick Memorial Music Program, which features weekly concerts from professional musicians in The James’ lobby that are live-streamed throughout the hospital. The MusicCare and Heather Pick performances have been suspended during the pandemic but will return.