Music is a catalyst for measurable change . And it can be woven into the fabric of a caring community. Care leaders have the power to make that change a reality within their organization through our MUSIC CARE CERTIFY program. Kindera Living has rolled out MUSIC CARE CERTIFY in 8 of their homes in Ontario with excellent results. Each care centre had their own unique music care site team and addressed a site challenge with music. For example, Kindera’s Dundurn Place Care Centre wanted to reduce the stress of daily care given to residents. Dundurn is in the heart of downtown Hamilton; it is multicultural, and serves 112 long-term care residents, 2 respite and 22 convalescent residents. The music care site team learned the residents’ musical preference and incorporated them into personalized playlist used during personal care sessions by the PSWs. Expressive behaviours were reduced by 78%. Cooperation during care improved and stress was reduced for both the care recipient and care giver. At Wellington Park Care Centre in downtown Burlington with 135 long-term care beds and a 16-bed restore program, the music care site team wanted to improve resident experience by creating a music-rich environment. By offering an abundance of new music programs, adding music to existing programs, and encouraging opportunities for musicking, Kindera’s Wellington Park increased monthly musical offerings by 128%. This meant music therapy hours were doubled and now, all residents have their own set of headphones. The team saw an increase in engagement, emotional responses and social interaction. At Banwell Gardens Care Centre in Windsor, a 142-bed Kindera home, the music care site team evaluated the impact of a resident chosen song on staff, when played during the honour guard. Note, when the residents dies and leaves the home through the front door, staff, residents and family gather for an honour guard. Results showed that 83% of staff feel less isolated in their grief when this ritual is performed with resident-chosen music; 94% of staff felt that the resident-chosen honour guard song helps them process grief more effectively. At Anson Place Care Centre, a 47-bed Kindera home in Hagersville, the music care site team created the ‘Sound Bites’ initiative where resident personalized playlists enhanced the dining experience and increased resident appetite by 19%. There were other benefits during mealtime as well, such as a 20% increase in social interaction with more talking, humming, singing, laughing, smiling, swaying and toe tapping. Huron Hospice in Goderich Ontario was the first hospice in Canada to become MUSIC CARE Certified. Their music care site team wanted bedside musicians and nurses at their residential hospice to observe and evaluate the effects of music on residents. By developing two observational feedback cards to record observational outcomes, hospice nurses found that 83% of residents felt calmer from live music moments offered by trained community musicians. Not only did the residents benefit from the music, there was deeper mutual appreciation and support amongst the nursing staff and volunteer musicians. Acclaim Health in the Peel and Halton regions offer adult day programs to support physical and mental well-being through independent living, reduced social isolation and innovative dementia care. At Patty’s Place and Mississauga Clubs, the music care site team used cue songs to improve client transitions in afternoon programming. By using a catchy familiar tune to encourage clients to get up and walk to the after-lunch programming, 75% of clients showed more engagement during the transition by singing, clapping or dancing. At the Burlington and Walmley clubs, personalized musical playlists were used to redirect client agitated focus towards musical engagement such as listening, singing, dancing and discussing. While these are some of the measurable changes reported through the MUSIC CARE CERTIFY process, anecdotal evidence of music’s impact was plentiful. “The stories that come out of our Men’s Musicking program are often touching and humourous which opens the door for deep emotional reminiscence and a collective appreciation of each other’s lives.” – Music care site team member, Menno Place, Abbotsford, BC “Lack of quality sleep in seniors can lead to a range of issues, including increased risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke and diabetes, as well as cognitive decline, falls, weakened immune systems and mental health problems like depression and anxiety. Hawthorne Care Centre’s music care team along with PSWs, used music (15 minutes of play) prior to bedtime to improve resident sleep quality. How exciting for Hawthorne residents!” – Sandy Croley, Director of Programs and Rehabilitation, Kindera Living “Before music was introduced, he was constantly in his room and preferred to stay in bed and sleep. After Arbour Beats came in play, I noticed him coming out of his room much more often asking what programs were happening. I now notice he will start singing in his room on his own, even when music is not playing. He sits in his chair and belts out multiple songs at any time of day for a long duration. I think music sparked something in him.” – Music care site team member, Arbour Creek Care Centre, Stoney Creek, ON We honour all of the early adopters of MUSIC CARE CERTIFY , building the case for music integration as a strategic, key change in the care culture.

The role of health and social care leaders is to drive lasting change that enhances both quality of care and the experience of the care team. Implementing effective change in a care setting is complex—but it doesn't have to be daunting. MUSIC CARE CERTIFY (MCC) is a transformative solution that not only improves the well-being of care recipients, but also nurtures a culture of innovation and collaboration among staff. MCC is more than just a program—it’s a change management system. It provides a structured, step-by-step approach to implementing music as a core element of care, ultimately enhancing quality of life and supporting quality improvement across your organization. The goal of MCC is to establish, integrate and evaluate music within caring communities to achieve better care outcomes. How Does it Work? MCC is built around five quality drivers that are designed to help deliver and sustain a high standard of music care. These quality drivers ensure your organization integrates music care in a way that is sustainable, replicable, and measurable. They include: Leadership: Champions of change at every level—site team leaders, staff, and music care facilitators working together. Music-Rich Environment: Creating a space that enhances the emotional well-being of everyone through music. Professional Practice: Ensuring that music care is delivered by skilled professionals. Continuing Education: Providing ongoing training to ensure staff is prepared and confident in using music as part of their care approach. Action Research: Continuously assessing and improving the program to ensure the best care outcomes By using success criteria assigned to each quality driver, organizations can track their progress through Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels of achievement. Each level reflects the depth to which music care has been integrated into daily practices. From initial adoption (Bronze) to a fully embedded, transformative model (Gold), MCC provides clear milestones for caring communities to strive toward. Upon completing MCC certification, the caring community will be recognized as MUSIC CARE Certified. This prestigious designation signals your commitment to improving the quality of life and care for everyone within your site. The Real Benefits Change management doesn’t happen overnight—but with MCC, the benefits are clear and impactful: Staff Satisfaction: Care professionals report increased job satisfaction, resiliency, and retention. Innovative Culture: MCC fosters creative, innovative thinking, empowering care teams to explore new ways to improve care. Improved Care Outcomes: Music integration leads to better care experiences and enhances alignment with relational and person-centered approaches. A Competitive Advantage: Organizations that adopt MCC differentiate themselves, gaining a competitive edge by offering a unique, high-quality care experience.  In the next blog, we’ll dive into the stories of early adopters of MCC in Canada. The results are already speaking for themselves—MCC is changing the way care is delivered, creating a culture that values well-being, innovation, and measurable outcomes.

In the first two blogs of this Key Change series, we looked at why music is considered a care solution. Undoubtedly, there is still a lot of work to do in educating the public and the care sector with a clear rationale for musical care. The bigger question, though, isn’t why music, it is how music can become integrated into the daily practice of caregivers and caring communities in a way that is meaningful, sustainable, and measurable. Many caring communities struggle to operationalize approaches like music care in a way that’s both intentional and measurable. While the research supports music’s therapeutic benefits, there’s often a disconnect between evidence and practice. The real question is how do we move from theory to everyday application? Room 217’s Integrated Model of Music Care (IMMC) is a proven framework designed to embed music into the daily practices of caregivers and care organizations. This model not only addresses cultural and contextual differences but also optimizes music in any health or social care setting. The IMMC ensures that music is not simply an add-on or an afterthought but an integral part of a care delivery system. By considering the specific needs and operational realities of an organization, this framework encourages implementation of purposeful music and sound based interventions—such as personalized playlists, music therapy, soundscapes, or community performances—tailored to improve the physical, emotional, and social well-being of everyone in the circle of care. The IMMC framework is grounded in four key components, beginning with education. Informed music use begins by training a team at the care site to champion the music care approach. With this knowledge, the team identifies a clear intention for using music to make an impact, such as reducing isolation for residents by introducing music initiatives and interventions. These can include initiatives (like a bell choir or personalized playlist) or interventions (evidence-based practices, such as those provided by a neurologic music therapist.) These initiatives are implemented through measurable programs, care tasks, or therapeutic relationships, with changes tracked through both process and outcome evaluations. Music care integration is achieved when music becomes an essential, recognized component of the care process, with all caregivers using it intentionally to address challenges in the care environment. 

Room 217’s MUSIC CARE CONFERENCE brings together healthcare professionals, music therapists, musicians, educators, students and caregivers to explore the profound impact and power of music in care. This year, Wilfrid Laurier Faculty of Music was the lead and host partner of our 16 th conference with Concerts in Care , Metalworks , SoundsUnite and Research Institute for Aging involved as secondary partners. From the main stage, delegates experienced a mix of touching music care cameos by professional and community musicians and ensembles, keynote presentations by leading industry experts in the field of music and health and two engaging workshops aimed at building caregiver confidence using music. The theme - music across the lifespan – was brought to life by a riveting concluding performance by Canadian gospel and blues icon, Jackie Richardson. MUSIC CARE CERTIFY stories from organizations, individuals and schools were featured in Lunch and Learn session. The conference is a rich opportunity to meet people who are passionate about using music in their daily practice and to expand our music care community. This year, there was a significant increase in the number of caregivers at the conference. The work of frontline workers does not go unnoticed, and this day apart offers an opportunity for caregivers to refuel their tanks, share meaningful stories and gain new ideas and strategies for the use of music in care. This sentiment is reflected in the words of some of the delegates. Conferences are a great opportunity to refresh, reinspire and reconnect. There’s also great research and innovation happening in the world of music and wellness! I wanted to share what an amazing experience the conference was! I found every session to be either full of knowledge, skills building and/ or incredibly inspirational! I left with a brain full of knowledge and ideas and a heart full of inspiration. A beautiful conference that hit exactly the right balance of learning, connecting, and, well, loving. So important in these days and times. I just wanted to tell you how much everyone of our team members loved the conference. It was so inspirational! We were able to learn, network and be joyful. Thank you for hosting such a wonderful event. It was truly the best conference of the year for me....and I attend a lot. Key highlights included our inspiring keynotes from Brian Harris , CEO of US-based MedRhythms , focusing on music and neurologic rehabilitation, and Emily Foulkes , from the UK, a practitioner and researcher in singing for wellbeing. Workshop were deeply appreciated and topics ranged from songwriting for dementia, using ukuleles in care, from spirituals to gospel music, using songs to express hope in care, using music as direct service workers, making connections through community music and live music as a universal language of memory. The research track was popular with emerging research from music therapy, community music and Room 217 presented. For me, our conference brings opportunities to network. Professionals from diverse backgrounds connect, share experiences, and collaborate on future projects. This networking aspect is crucial for fostering a community of practice that advocates for the integration of music in healthcare. Room 217 continues to play a vital role in leading and developing partnerships towards this end.  For more information on the Music Care Conference and to stay updated on future events, visit www.musiccare.org/conference .

A key takeaway for me at Canada’s first Social Prescribing Conference is that we’ve only just begun. Every great movement must begin. By beginning, we become. Admittedly, my colleagues and I attended the conference to see where we might contribute as an arts-based community organization. While we didn’t receive pat answers or direct pathways, we met people, engaged in conversation and began to think about how we can be involved. In retrospect, I think that was the point of the conference. Beginning, exploring, connecting, conversing, becoming. We heard about several compelling examples of social prescription in Canada. Dr. Grace Park and her team in the Fraser Health Care Authority in BC have developed a systemically integrated SP approach for older adults. The partnership between Fraser Health, the provincial government, United Way BC, BC Divisions of Family Practices, Fraser Health Teams, Fraser Health Patient and Family Advisory Council and other nonprofit community organizations began in 2019 and is a leading model. Community Connectors play a critical role in the success of implementation and hold the community knowledge and put the legs on referrals by linking individuals to programs. Healthy Aging Alberta has developed a tool for SP assessment and case management used by a variety of professional and volunteers. Based on social determinants of health, this tool looks at seven domains based on Alberta’s health aging framework: physical health, safety and security, social engagement, physical environment, personal wellbeing, mental health and social supports. This tool is being used in Edmonton to support older adults in living in community. There is a SP student movement in Canada. In 2022, the Canadian Social Prescribing Student Collective was establishing joining a global network of students champions in six other countries. The objective of this group is to call for action by students, staff in health care and community organizations and faculty/administration at postsecondary institutions. The Collective believes their efforts will shape the social prescribing movement and the future of our health system. We also learned that SP is extended to family caregivers. Various provincial family caregiving organizations are developing SP pathways to build resilience, social connectedness, decreased reliance on healthcare services to support family caregivers with their overwhelming responsibilities, financial strain and system navigation. Family Caregivers of British Columbia have caregiver support specialists provide wellness planning, healthcare navigation and community connections for family caregivers. The elephant in the room for most of the conference is how SP is funded in Canada. It appears as though the CISP is strategically encouraging multiple expressions of SP to bubble up locally, having the communities themselves figure out implementation pathways and funding models. And perhaps this is the way of influence, bottom up, upstream programming that creates a demand and groundswell with compelling results that governments will not be able to deny. The recent CISP report claims that for every $1 spent on SP in Canada, the ROI is $4.30. And so we think about the arts in this movement. Our colleagues from the Mississauga Arts Council were also there, and along with us, were learning and exploring and becoming. They have launched a 2-year pilot with their ArtsCare SP program to benefit mental health of individuals living in Mississauga. While historically our work at Room 217 has been and will continue to be supporting caregivers with music care tools, training and standards to improve care outcomes, we have been developing a music wellness model. Salutogenic or preventative in approach, we define music wellness as interacting with music in a way that contributes to holistic health and flourishing. Our research shows this happens in specific ways. So we may very well have several contributions to make as we consider our intersection with the social prescription movement. In my mind, music as social prescription is a pure bullseye. Music by its very nature is connective. Music contributes positively to an individual’s state of being and can catalyzes improved mood. Doing music contributes to health and wellbeing such as increased oxygenation, cross-lateral brain activity. Musical engagement improves quality of life in every human domain.  So we continue to explore the application of music care and music wellness within the arena of SP. Stay tuned.