Sue *

*In view of maintaining our clients' confidentiality, the story of Sue is a composite of the stories of a variety of older people who have participated in Live Music Lounge Music Therapy sessions and who have progressed and improved over the course of their sessions. Her described experience shows the kinds of challenges and communication difficulties older people face and of how Music Therapy can and has helped older people improve their abilities to express and communicate and help them make personal breakthroughs.

The Old Familiar World could describe what Sue was experiencing while participating in her Live Music Lounge for Older People.

Sue is a lovely older lady. However, like many older people, she suffers from dementia. She lives with her family, and is being taken care of, 24 hours a day, by her domestic helper.

When Sue first started to attend the Live Music Lounge, she often just sat still and was comparatively irresponsive during group discussion. She would only show the occasional smile as if she wanted to let people know that she was still there among the group but at that time she was not able to communicate and connect with other people in any other way.

Psychological factors often drive us to unhealthy eating behaviours such as overeating, irregular eating, unhealthily restricting food intake, etc. Disordered eating behaviours can be triggered and sustained by life stress, one’s concerns towards body image, or even residual feelings from past events that had long been forgotten.

Though it may not come to an individual's consciousness, a person’s feeling of lacking control over one’s life as well as the person’s interpersonal connections play important roles in disordered eating behaviours ¹.

A young woman who had participated in previous research concluded that her eating behaviours had been sustaining her during "life experiences that were difficult to control, extremely stressful, and socially isolating" ¹.

People with Down's Syndrome often give an impression as being sociable, friendly, and happy regardless of their age. Usually, they also present as a 'good boy' or 'good girl' image in other eyes.

We often hear parents saying "They're happy, so let them stay the way they are!" My experience working with people with Down's Syndrome, however, tells me that despite their smiling faces and sociable qualities, they have much unexpressed feelings within them. Also, people with Down's Syndrome can have much potential for personal growth beyond society's expectation. They can be more in control of their own lives, feel happier with themselves, and be able to attain more self-confidence and personal achievements.