The Goal

A Musical Heart desires to inspire and encourage other musicians to play for hospice patients, and also desires to teach them how to do so. A musician must not only be skilled in the use of their instrument or voice, they must feel drawn to this work and feel that it is a calling. The end of life is a sacred time, and to be with the dying is an honor and must be regarded as such. It is not for everyone. It can, however, offer a profound, loving connection between humans, and it is an honor to be present at the time of passage, whether it be months, weeks, or hours.

The Process

1. Contact Nina Falk, meet and play.
2. Follow Nina or another AMH musician as they play for patients to familiarize yourself with the experience and confirm your interest. We may need permission from the family, or if this is in a facility, you may need to wait in the hallway, but you will learn a lot about the experience.
3. Submit an application to the hospice agency. Together we will discuss which one is the best fit for you, usually depending on where you live.
4. Go for interview with agency contact.
5. Complete the training they offer on scheduled dates.
6. The agency will also require (free of charge to you) a police background check and current TB test.

That’s it! At the completion of these steps, you will be ready to be assigned patients. At every step of the way, we are here to support you.