Many of our residents find an outlet for expression through music, under the expert and empathetic guidance of our trained music therapists. Karen de Kock, music therapist at Elvira Rota Village recently experienced a moving interaction with one of the residents, Leslie, during his weekly individual session with her. He told her that family who visited that past weekend, told him that his uncle (also called Leslie) was very ill. He cried and said that he was worried that his uncle would not make it.

“I know his uncle from previous visits and concerts,” Karen said. “We spoke about the day he came to the Village to play the accordian for residents, and focused on the happy memories.”

Two weeks later, Leslie told Karen that he made a song for his uncle. She realised he was using an existing song she had taught the residents, “I come to you, to be healed, refreshed and renewed,” but made up his own words in Afrikaans: “Ek kom na jou, om te was en om te sien.” We invite you to share the moment captured in the video below:

The same day that this beautiful song was sung in the therapy sesssion, uncle Leslie passed away.

Leslie is cognitively higher functioning than most of our residents, although it takes a while to understand him when he speaks. Karen has worked with him for at least ten years and his capacity for empathy still amazes her.

“It just re-enforces what I have experienced again and again … our ‘Angels’ feel and intuit on a very advanced level,” she says.