New hire enhances the nonprofit’s complementary therapies program
Southfield, Mich. (March 23, 2018) – Hospice of Michigan is pleased to announce the addition of Kaitlin McKinley – the nonprofit’s first music therapist – to its Oakland North and Oakland South teams, representing the patients and families in Oakland County, Michigan. The benefits of music therapy are widely recognized in the healthcare field as having both immediate and long-term effects in addressing the physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of individuals of all ages. McKinley will work with hospice patients to create, sing and listen to music in individual and family sessions.
McKinley joins Hospice of Michigan from Philadelphia, PA, where she worked as a music therapist at Holisticare Hospice. McKinley earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Bowling Green State University and will soon receive her Masters in Music Therapy from Western Michigan University. A Board Certified Music Therapist and Neurological Music Therapist, McKinley can sing and play the violin, guitar, ukulele and a variety of other hand-held instruments.
The music therapist position was made possible through funding from the Lillian E. Delmar Music Program, Hospice of Michigan’s multifaceted approach to providing music to patients at end-of-life. The Lillian E. Delmar Music Program was created through a legacy gift from the estate of Lillian E. Delmar, a former primary caregiver and passionate music fan.
About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan (HOM) is the original – and largest – hospice in the state. A founding member of the NorthStar Care Community, the nonprofit delivers the highest quality of care, raising more than $5 million each year to cover costs for the uninsured and underinsured. HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life. HOM also provides grief support and counseling, as well as caregiver education and support. A member of the NorthStar Care Community, HOM also provides palliative care through NorthStar Palliative Care, pediatric hospice care and compassionate support services through Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Programs for Children, and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through the NorthStar Institute. The NorthStar Care Community also includes Arbor Hospice. In total, NorthStar Care Community members serve nearly 6,500 patients annually across Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. For more information, call 888.247.5701.