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Guest
Columnist
Arnie Idelson, CTRS,CMT, LCAT,CPRP
Everyone has strengths
and weaknesses. Life problem situations, and disabilities from illness, may cause people to be blocked and unable to maintain
awareness of their strengths. As human beings as a normal course of events, when these types of problems occur, our thoughts
and feelings often can only focus on what we can't do, and not on what we can. Our ability to have the awareness to do our
own bookkeeping, to assess what specific strengths we have regardless of weakness, becomes impaired over our normal grieving
over losses which we may have received. When we can focus on the reality of our strengths regardless of weaknesses from losses, we can obtain a renewed Hope,self belief,
and Happiness. Hope and Reality Based Self Belief. provides the Courage, the Motivation, and the Energy Drive to Achieve our
Goals to Live a Quality Life, at our Potential. Many residents who have received expressive aphasia from stroke can
often complete sentences more effectively when singing songs, whose lyrics they retain from long term memory, than when speaking.
These residents regain a the feeling of regained empowerment, self-esteem, and pleasure when they express themselves in song.
They live their lives with a great deal of frustration, when they cannot express what they are feeling and thinking. Music
therapy singing provides the opportunity to use verbal strengths. This week I counseled an angry
resident who was admitted to our short term rehab floor with a recently received hip fracture. This man was verbally abusive
to staff, resident peers, and to his family when they visited. I said to him, " You appear to be very angry, are you
angry?" He said."Yes, I am very angry". I asked him what he was angry about but he did not give me answer.
I saw him non-verbally grimacing with pain. I asked him if he was in pain. He said that he had a great deal of pain. I explained
to him that it is normal to have pain from the recent hip fracture he received. I also verbally reassured him that he received
pain medication, and some his pain will subside. I also reassured him by telling him he was in a facility with an excellent
rehab department, that will help to achieve getting well. His family and the staff told me that this man could not express
in words pain, or discomfort. All his life he could only express anger. I counseled this resident that it is not unmanly to
verbalize pain or discomfort, and that this was better than expressing hostility. He responded by sharing with a group of
residents that he was a employed as a construction worker; was an avid Yankee and Giants fan, of which he would attend games
at the stadiums. He also said he enjoyed deep sea fishing. His family and the staff thanked me for improving his behavior
during his stay. Sincerely,
Arnie Idelson, CTRS,CMT, LCAT,CPRP
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