"I discovered that she would change the pitch of her groans to match whatever musical key I was playing in."
This story is a touching anecdote from a hospice music therapist who found herself treating her own mother. It was a truly painful experience, but amazingly, her mother remained musical until the end.
Hospice music therapists play for many different reasons: life review, easing of pain and suffering, or even merely to maintain the connection between the dying and their loved ones. It is a horribly important application for music therapy, and the author is very brave for making it her occupation.