Comforting a patient with soothing tunes

Payton Wolf was about halfway through a 12-hour shift as a sitter when the patient awoke feeling sad, lost and confused.

When she started playing the Elvis Presley song, “Can’t Help Falling in Love” on her phone and singing along, the patient became more at ease.

“He was sitting there, kind of bobbing his head as I was singing,” said Wolf, patient care assistant with the enterprise float pool in the UCHealth Northern Colorado Region. “I think he needed a lending hand, a friendly face. If it were my grandfather, I would want him to not feel so lost.”

She said she’s often found music to be a source of comfort for patients, providing familiarity and calming stimulation. If someone is having a difficult time, she’ll pull up musicians who were popular when the patient was in their 20s.

“In a lot of cases, music is an across-the-board tool,” Wolf said.

Wolf, who has been with UCHealth since January 2023, aspires to become a nurse, similar to her mother.

“In the best way, she kind of brainwashed me into being in health care. I love it,” she said. “I just like caring for people.”

Nurse manager Bree Eisenach said she feels lucky that patients and staff in northern Colorado get to work with Wolf.

“Payton is an amazing person and an exceptional caregiver,” Eisenach said. “I have never received more peer recognition for any staff member on a daily basis. She is compassionate, friendly and truly takes her time with every individual.”