A special music therapy program at Peconic Landing’s skilled nursing center has been named “Innovation of the Year” by a statewide retirement community advocacy group.
The “Music by the Bedside” music therapy program, a collaboration of Peconic Landing and East End Arts, received the 2016 “Innovation of the Year” award by LeadingAge New York during a ceremony yesterday.
The award distinguishes organizations that use creative problem-solving to improve the quality and access of services for seniors, according to the LeadingAge New York website.
“This award recognizes organizations who are doing something different, something innovative and new that others can replicate,” LeadingAge president and CEO James Clyne Jr. said as he presented the award.
An experiential music program, it brings one-on-one live music performances to the bedside of seniors receiving comfort (palliative) care. The music therapy program began October 2015 and features local volunteer musicians including East End Arts music students and faculty.
“Here at Peconic Landing, we’ve often found that through collaboration, true innovation is born,” Peconic Landing president and CEO Robert Syron said. “This program would not be possible without our friends and partners at East End Arts. This pioneering partnership has allowed us to take our music therapy program to the next level.”
East End Arts education director Diane Giardi brought the concept to Peconic Landing after seeing firsthand the benefits of music for people receiving comfort care .
“We are so happy that in less than a year of initiating the program, Music by the Bedside has had such a significant impact on individuals, both residents and the music students and faculty participants involved,” Giardi said. This one-on-one personal sharing of music by the bedside has added so much to the quality of life near the end of life. We are pleased that the program has been recognized in this way.”
