Sarah Storer • April 17, 2026

It’s Not Just Playing Music: What Makes Music Care Intentional?

Music is everywhere. It plays in the background of waiting rooms, fills quiet spaces, and is often added to care environments with good intentions. But music care is not just about playing music. The difference is intention.


In music care, intention means using music with a clear purpose. It is not just about what is playing, but why it is being used, when it is introduced, and how it supports the moment. It is the difference between turning on any playlist and choosing the right piece of music for what is happening right now.


This shift may seem small, but it changes how music functions in care. When music is used intentionally, it moves from background to something that actively supports the care process. A familiar song used at the same time each day can help signal routine.


A slower tempo can support calm during moments of agitation. An upbeat rhythm can encourage movement and participation. In each case, the music is doing something. It is not just filling space. It is supporting care.
 
At its core, intentional music care can be understood in three connected ways:

  • Use: How music is used in the moment
  • Design: How music is structured and selected to support care
  • Performance: How music is expressed and adapted to suit different settings and care scenarios



Intentional use is what happens at the point of care. It is about choosing the right music for the moment and using it to support what is happening in real time.


But intention also exists in how music is designed. Some music used in care is created with purpose, with elements like tempo, repetition, and familiarity, chosen to support specific responses such as calming or engagement.


And intention can be shaped in the moment through how music is performed. The same song can be slowed down, softened, or made more rhythmic depending on what is needed. This allows caregivers and musicians to adjust and respond in real time.


We recently heard from a staff member at a MUSIC CARE CERTIFY organization who shared the story of a resident who became very anxious after dinner and would say, “I need to go home but I don’t know how to get there”. With the intentional use of music as part of the dinner routine, that moment began to shift. Music became a consistent part of the transition after dinner, offering something familiar and grounding.


Overtime, the change was noticeable. She became calmer, more engaged, and began participating in singing. Instead of distress, there was a sense of comfort and ease. When staff left, she would simply smile and say, “Ok, I will see you tomorrow”. This is just one of the many ways that music truly supports the experience of care.


Intentional music care does not require specialized equipment or complex plans. It can start with something much simpler: noticing. What is happening in this moment? What does this person need right now? How might music support that? From there, small choices can make a meaningful difference.


One of the most important aspects of music care is not just the music itself, but how it is chosen and used. When music is seen as an add-on, it remains optional and inconsistent. When it is understood as part of care, it becomes something we can use deliberately, thoughtfully, and consistently.



Music care is not just about doing more. It is about doing things differently. With intention, even simple uses of music can support connection, regulation, and everyday moments of care. 

A guitar , cowboy hat , cowboy boots and hay are on a wooden table.
By Shelley Neal April 2, 2025
I undertook the MUSIC CARE Certification program when I had journeyed through caring for my mother with Alzheimer’s. It was during my training, I learned how music works in terms of timbre, melody and rhythm and beat, music care domains and music care strategies. It helped me to support mom as the disease progressed. I continued to certify through Music Care and then I had the joy of teaching others the level 1 program Fundamentals of Music Care Theory and Context . I have loved coming alongside others in Long Term Care and using music to support giving voice of what is within one’s life, preventing isolation and loneliness, creating community. I enjoyed all it all. Then, I found myself once again in the Emergency Room with Tim, (my family member) as we were helping him home in his palliative journey. My “outside life” took a back seat and my inside hospital life began. Tim’s was failing and he was no longer able to open his mouth and swallow to obtain nutrient’s due to Parkinson’s . We tried various types of foods, textures and flavours, however, opening his mouth and swallowing remained inaccessible. Tim loved Glen Campbell and Rhinestone Cowboy . When he was a young man, he would repeated play this song until the LP was worn through. He was given a new Glen Campbell CD at Christmas and the song was welcomed back into our lives. There I was ,in my new environment on the tenth floor of the hospital, playing Rhinestone Cowboy. Tim sang along. He actually sang along! He moved his mouth, swallowed and sang along. We were able to get pureed food into his body. Later, the disease continued to ravage his body and Rhinestone Cowboy helped us connected with other such as the speech language pathologist, doctors, cleaning staff and nurses. We sang and danced together with the music and Tim smiled. He knew he was part of a community who loved him. As we knew the end was coming, I played music with a simple melody, 60 beats per minute and soft timbre on my harp to support Tim as he fell into sleep. Near the end, I used tonal music in simple phrases to support calmness matching his breath. Tim passed peacefully and gentle. Today, at his funeral our last song “Rhinestone Cowboy”. After hearing the importance of this song, all the people present joined in singing to honour the village of Tim that so lovingly cared for him. Music Care training has become a natural rhythm in my life to use with aging and sick family members, supporting young children’s learning and providing self-care when I was tired after intense caregiving.
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