HOSPICE PATIENTS RELEASE POWERFUL ANTHEM CAPTURING A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES

In an extraordinary collaboration, day patients at ellenor have created a song that tells the story of their personal journeys. After months of dedicated lyric writing and vocal work, they are proudly releasing These Are Our Lives - a deeply moving piece that shares their childhoods, careers, families, and experiences at ellenor. Professionally recorded, the song will soon be available on Spotify and other streaming platforms, allowing their voices and stories to reach a wider audience.

The song, developed over 5 months under the guidance of ellenor’s Music Therapist Andy Ruddy, provided patients with a unique opportunity to share their personal stories through music. More than just words and melody, it captures the essence of their lives and the strong bond they've formed at ellenor. 

Music therapy is a transformative part of hospice care, providing patients with an invaluable opportunity to express themselves beyond words. It helps manage emotional, psychological, and even physical challenges by creating a space for connection, reflection, and comfort. At ellenor, music therapy fosters a sense of purpose and community, allowing patients to engage in meaningful activities that improve their wellbeing and offer solace during a difficult time.

Andy admitted: “The group have worked really hard. They all had ideas, which meant it could get messy at times, but that is what it’s all about. We’ve had debate, conversations and edits; it’s been real teamwork.”

Andy studied at the UK’s largest music therapy charity Nordoff and Robins, believes music gives patients a voice. It brings them together and helps them connect with people around them and the wider community.

That is a perfect fit with the ethos of ellenor, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of people facing life-limiting illnesses, wrapping its arms around family members and embracing the local community in North Kent and Bexley.

Andy said: “We had 15 patients who have lived long lives, 20 if you include staff and volunteers, all in one room trying to write a song that is five minutes long. Imagine a painting – our song is like a collage of contributions from everybody in the group. Every line has a resonance for a particular person or group of people.

“It starts at the time of The Second World War because a couple of our members were kids then. People have recalled their childhoods, their working lives and of course their time now at ellenor together.

“There was a lot of negotiating, and we had to work as a democracy. A lot of ideas we came up with had to go in the end. Some of my own ideas were outvoted by the group and I felt that was healthy.

Therapy Assistant Nicola Walmsley and Apprentice Occupational Therapist Shania Allsop, who run ellenor’s This Is Your Life scrapbooking project, explained how this project provided much of the inspiration and raw material for the song.

Shania said: “It’s all about capturing those memories, but it’s also about where patients are now in their lives and looking at what they would like to do. What are their hopes for the future. Patients record different aspects of their lives from childhood memories, through family and working life to their time at ellenor. It’s been a very popular activity, and we thought it was great inspiration for a song.”

Nicola added: “Patients record different aspects of their lives from childhood memories, through family and working life to their time at ellenor. It’s been a very popular activity, and we thought it was great inspiration for a song.”

Day patient Barbara, who played the piano in her younger days, said choosing the words for These Are Our Lives brought back so many memories.

“It’s good to look back at what we started with and what it is now and wonder what it will become,” she said. “Andy is a lovely, lovely man and very considerate about people’s feelings.”

Lin Austin attends ellenor’s weekly music group, one of a raft of groups and activities run by ellenor’s Wellbeing team. She enjoyed the camaraderie and working closely with fellow patients to create a joint piece of work.

She said: “We all helped writing the lyrics, which was the lovely thing about it.”

It is well documented how music can significantly help people who have dementia. Day patient John Hughes is a prime example of how it can stimulate memory and soothe the mind. He said: “My memory is limited but when I’m singing, the words come back to me!”

Andy agreed it was “amazing” how John could remember the lyrics from week to week.

“Music appears to occupy a more permanent part of the brain, even for people with dementia,” he said.

“I don’t know how many of the group have sung before, but I think the idea of doing something completely new was really valuable. We have been doing this with a sense of purpose.

“The challenge of writing the song and overcoming things along the way was not always smooth. The patients have led very full lives and have way more experience in life than I do. They voiced their opinions about generational differences and attitudes towards things like work ethics. It was a great leveller for me and other younger members of staff.”

Andy, 35, knows that patients with years of experience often don’t want their past lives, or their futures sugar coated, and they are happy to accept things can’t always run to plan or have positive outcomes.

He said: “Recording the song marked the end of a lot of hard work. We are not a professional choir. We aren’t a professional choir, but we’ve come together as a group to sing this song, each person playing a vital role. Even those who weren’t comfortable with singing found a way to contribute through the lyrics, ensuring that every voice, in some form, was heard. Everyone had something valuable to offer, and that’s what made this project so meaningful.

“The song has sparked incredible creativity, and that’s been such a healthy process There has been such a positive vibe filled with every emotion imaginable – joy, sadness, humour and everything in between, funny. People have explored their innermost thoughts and there’s something profoundly therapeutic about turning those emotions into something beautiful that rhymes. Writing song lyrics has allowed people to express what’s inside in a truly meaningful way.”

• If you would like to find out more about music therapy at ellenor, call 01474 320007 and ask for the Wellbeing team.
• These Are Our Lives was recorded on October 16