Infection Control

Long before our current pandemic, Infection control has been an important part of music therapy. Shakers and other rhythm instruments are generally wiped down after every use. Scarves are washed after every use. Right now, I am look at using more body percussion or disposable noisemakers and props. I use a barrier under my instrument case. My guitar and one of my harps have finishes that hold up well under repeated cleaning with antiseptic wipes. In the past, I would wipe my instruments down about once a week but am now wiping them down after every visit or class. And of course, frequent hand hygiene is a part of my routine.

In addition to cleaning a lot, I’m looking at using more recorded music and personal amplification. Personal amplification is surprisingly affordable. Singing is risky and speaking at lower volumes may help reduce droplet spread. In addition, personal amplification can help prevent vocal strain.

My hospice job requires that I wear mask, goggles, and gloves. I prefer not using a pick but am learning to play with one. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it is possible to play harp while wearing gloves. It helps that I have reasonable quality well fitting gloves and a lower tension harp.

Any other questions on how we keep our patients and clients safe? Let me know!