Drumming out a message
Posted April 1, 2009
With the help of two gifts, our Music Therapy Department added a table drum to its room.Steve Lahner, Clear Lake, and Immanual Lutheran Church of Titonka made donations to Opportunity Village to help purchase this equipment.
The Table Drum is a large portable drum (30" high by 40" wide) that was especially designed by two Music Therapists for use with Alzheimer's patients. However, this drum has many more applications for Music Therapy.
The drum can seat several people around it, which facilitates eye contact among the participants, increases peer interactions and self-esteem by creating an atmosphere of success, and offers opportunities for teamwork. Activities in Music Therapy with the use of this drum can focus on increasing individual participation, opportunities for a creative outlet, and for following directions given, thus improving focus.
This drum is also an excellent method of decreasing tactile defensiveness and allowing opportunities for feeling the music through touch. The head of the drum is extremely vibro-tactile, which will provide sensory stimulation for anyone who touches it. It will also assist clients with physical disabilities in playing with the group, allowing for opportunities for increasing motor coordination. This table drum is geared towards group treatment, which is the main focus in Music Therapy at Opportunity Village.