YOKINE partners Faye Saunders and Pete Flude have been harnessing the power of music to provide therapy for people with disabilities, special needs and Alzheimer’s for the past year. Through their organisation Music Fix they have been working with northern suburbs high schools and Brightwater Aged Care homes around Perth to deliver programs with “extremely positive results” and “uplifting changes”. Earlier this year they also travelled to Ba Vi in Vietnam to develop a music program specifically for children with disabilities. “Many of the children at the orphanage where we were working had been affected by agent orange – a chemical used during the war causing terrible deformities even in third and fourth generations,” Ms Saunders said. “Unfortunately the conditions of where the children lived and their surrounding environment was very challenging for us, but our music program proved to be extremely successful and we had an absolutely fantastic time working with them. “Engaging with the children every day across the four weeks, we witnessed a significant increase in the children’s ability to concentrate and engage, a positive change in their social behaviour, and overall such an up-lifted atmosphere by the end of the fourth week.” After creating the programs, they donated all the percussion and instruments they used to allow the staff to continue their work. However, Ms Saunders said there was a desperate need for the Music Fix program to be maintained at the Ba Vi disability centre. “We hope to find funding and support to be able to return to the children of Ba Vi again in the near future,” she said. Until then, they are currently taking bookings for Term 1 and Term 1, with lessons in acoustic, electric and bass guitar, vocals, piano, saxophone and flute. Visit the Music Fix – Music Lessons Facebook page.
Agent Orange -based training organisation Music Fix is using musical therapy to help those with disabilities, special needs, and Alzheimer's disease. Partners Pete Flude and Faye Saunders have been collaborating with schools and care homes in the Australian city and have seen positive results, such as better social behaviour and attitudes. The pair recently took their music programme to US disability centre in Vietnam , where they worked with orphaned children affected by Agent Orange , a chemical used by the US during the war, which still causes severe deformities.