Meet Carlehr Swanson—Miss Virginia 2024, who’s spreading the therapeutic energy of music to older adults in residential care throughout Virginia. Carlehr’s journey started in eighth grade, when her grandmother, Gladys, was in a rehabilitation middle recovering from a severe harm. To elevate her spirits, Carlehr would play songs on the piano, drawing different residents who gathered round to benefit from the music and the sense of connection it created. Seeing how music may ease emotions of loneliness and convey pleasure impressed her to proceed sharing her expertise with others.
Now, as Miss Virginia, Carlehr travels to nursing houses and care facilities throughout the state, providing heartwarming music performances that brighten the lives of residents. By means of her group service initiative, Bridging the Divide: Music is Unity, Carlehr additionally acts as an envoy for Music & Reminiscence, sharing our mission and spreading the phrase in regards to the transformative impression of personalised music for people with reminiscence loss. Her platform has allowed her to succeed in and encourage much more folks together with her message of connection and compassion.
Along with her duties as Miss Virginia, Carlehr is a devoted music scholar pursuing a doctorate on the College of Virginia, focusing her research on Black research, feminist research, and gospel music. Her dedication to sharing music’s unifying energy is obvious in all that she does, and her efforts have touched numerous lives throughout the state.
Did you take pleasure in this story? Please take a second to share why you want Music & Reminiscence by posting a observe or image in your social media web page and tag our Fb, Instagram, and/or Twitter accounts.
Should you can, please donate to help our work to convey personalised music playlists to seniors residing with dementia and different sorts of bodily and cognitive loss.
