WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT, May 27, 2026 — Generous grant funding is helping to support and expand music therapy services and other integrative healing programs for patients recovering from complex illnesses and injuries at Gaylord Hospital.
The funding includes a $7,500 grant from the Connecticut Community Foundation and a $10,000 grant from the SpringRiver Private Foundation Trust. An additional $10,000 grant from The Neag Foundation will support music therapy along with mindfulness and Reiki programming for patients.
Music therapy is offered free of charge to Gaylord Hospital patients and is integrated into individualized rehabilitation plans alongside physical, occupational, speech, pulmonary, and therapeutic recreation therapies.
Certified music therapists tailor sessions to support patient goals related to communication, cognition, anxiety management, pain reduction, movement, motivation, relaxation, and emotional well-being.
Cheryl Tansley, MS, CCC-SLP, inpatient therapy supervisor at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, explains that music therapy helps patients engage in their rehabilitation journey.
“Research has shown that music therapy can positively impact physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being. We have seen firsthand how music can help patients process emotions, improve participation in therapy, stimulate communication, and support healing throughout long-term rehabilitation.”
Last year, Gaylord provided more than 600 music therapy sessions to nearly 170 patients. Gaylord hopes to continue to expand the program to meet increasing patient demand, including adding more programming days and specialized group sessions.
“Because insurance does not currently cover many complementary therapies like music therapy, philanthropic support is essential to sustaining these important services,” said Roslyn Gilhuly, Executive Director, The Gaylord Foundation, Inc. and Associate Vice President, Development, Gaylord Hospital, Inc.
“We are deeply grateful to these foundations for recognizing the value of integrative therapies and helping us provide innovative care that enhances healing and improves our patients’ quality of care.”
About Gaylord Specialty Healthcare:
Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is a rehabilitation-focused, nonprofit health system headquartered in Wallingford, Connecticut provides inpatient and outpatient care for people at every point in their journey from illness or injury to maximum recovery.
Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is anchored by Gaylord Hospital, a long-term acute care hospital, and includes Gaylord Outpatient Services and Gaylord Physical Therapy for patients who require diagnosis and treatment on an outpatient basis. Gaylord's Milne Institute for Healthcare Innovation is a hub for accelerating world-class rehabilitative research, technology development and innovation to improve the quality of life and function of people around the world. Together, these entities deliver a complete continuum of rehabilitative care driven by clinical experience, innovation and human compassion.