

Music Therapy Strikes The Right Chord 

Simply put, music can heal people.

And so, at Clove Lakes, there's not a day without music, either from Music Specialist Zack Roberson or from other acclaimed musicians and community groups.  Recent events included concerts by The Juilliard School and Staten Island Conservatory, The Jewish Foundation School and students from PS 54.
The universal language of mood and emotion, music acts as a therapeutic tool, easing the trauma of grieving and depression, even as it promotes relaxation and healing.

According to research recently presented at a meeting of the Society of Neuroscience in Los Angeles, music stimulates memory, motor control, timing and language.  In other words, there is a biology of music.

That makes sense to Zack who has seen the notable physical and emotional effect his music creates.  When patients hear his special songs-especially something with emotional importance to them-they regain a sense of who they are or who they were.  They start tapping their feet and break out of their shells.
Performing from an extensive repertoire of pop and top 40's, Zack's music is easily accessible to all populations, whether ill or healthy.  A professional song writer, arranger and producer who plays with a number of dance bands from the NYC area, Zack's music encourages participation.  Although his sessions at Clove Lakes begin as a mini-concert, he often hands over the microphone for an old-fashioned sing-along.
A benefit of having music specialist like Zack in the room, performing, is that he alters the tempo and makes other adjustments in response to patients' needs.  His confident, lyrical voice helps all types of people remain forever young.
This interaction makes the difference between awareness and withdrawal, between comfort and pain, between dignity and demoralization.  For those unable to participate in a group session, music therapy takes place, at the bedside, on a one-to-one level.

According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy's roots stem back to WW II when musicians entertained at veteran's hospitals across the country.  When doctors noticed the physical and emotional improvements in patients after each visit, they requested that hospitals continue the program.  It has transformed the quality of patients' lives ever since.