Craig Hansen, a Homecare & Hospice social worker based in Cedar City, had been assigned to a woman on hospice care recently but he hadn’t been able to speak with her because she’d been non-responsive. When her hospital bed arrived at her home and she was moved into it, she suddenly was alert and was talking with her family who had gathered to be near her. That’s when Craig arrived for his first visit with her.
Craig often plays his accordion for his patients when he thinks it will lift their spirits and he decided this was one of those moments. He ran out to his car and got one of the four accordions he owns.
“I strapped it on, went into the bedroom and she got a little grin on her face,” he says. “I started playing some religious songs common to her religion. Then I played some patriotic songs, and she was tapping her foot. She was keeping time with her hands. She was clapping after each song. She was singing with some of the songs, and every family member had their phone out filming their mom and grandma while this was going on.”
Craig played for her for about 20 minutes. Afterward he went into another room to speak with the woman’s daughter and she told him, “I didn’t think my mother had any smiles left in her.”
The next morning she passed away.
Craig says when he thinks it will help, he likes to cheer up his patients by playing some music and even telling jokes.
“I don't believe my patients are gone until they're gone,” he says. “And so, unless they don't like humor, I try to use humor, and I try and use music to cheer them up, because I can't prescribe medications; I don't give out antidepressants, but I can bring cheer and happiness.”