Nanette Mathe

People often ask if I sing to or with my patients. Sometimes I do, especially if the patient is non-verbal. I believe that music is a way of spiritually connecting with others.

One day I entered the room of a woman who was getting close to the end of her life. She looked at me with frightened eyes when I entered, so I sat way across the room so she wouldn’t be afraid. Soon, she forgot I was there and started humming.

I spoke to her quietly telling her who I was. She stopped singing and looked at me. I told her that she had a beautiful singing voice and sang “Jesus Loves Me” to her. She smiled and began to hum loudly, smiling all the while. It sounded like “Silent Night” so I started to sing it. She responded with more smiling and eye contact. When I finished she hummed “O Come, All Ye Faithful” and beamed at me when she was finished. I praised her singing and clapped.

She laughed.

I came closer and asked if I could pray with her. She smiled, so I prayed. I held her hand and watched her retreat back into the dementia. We touched each other, just for a short time, with our music. What a gift!