Carry Me Home - Dayton's Hospice Choir

02/09/2026

Beautiful images and reflections on witnessing a loved one's transition -- especially in the peace and comfort of home.

Sibylle Fendt’s intimate photographs of terminally ill patients and their carers were inspired by the death of her own husband – a period in which she experienced pain, tenderness and love

12/02/2025

May it be this way for all of us.

11/21/2025

Wonderful article about the work of hospice choirs! It is a great honor to be able to provide this service.

While this article focuses directly on the flourishing Threshold Choir Movement, and their style of music, etc., just a clarification for those new to our page that while our mission and work is similar, Carry Me Home is not affiliated with Threshold Choirs.

We are an independent hospice choir that brings a wide variety of music, including responding to family or patient requests--everything from upbeat to hymns to contemporary to old favorites...and sometimes even favorite old childhood songs.

Many thanks to Joyce Gibbs for alerting us to this piece!

A worldwide movement to sing gentle songs to the dying provides comfort, peace and release to both the suffering and the singers

11/18/2025

Oh my gosh, how did we miss posting this??

A couple of weeks ago, Carry Me Home had the good fortune to be featured in an article (with a front page banner) in the Dayton Daily News! Many thanks to Meredith Moss and to one of our founding members, Susan, who helped make it happen!

If you live in the Dayton, Ohio, area and have a family member in hospice, we'd be delighted to bring the gift of song. If you're associated with Ohio's Hospice of Dayton, please let your nurse or caseworker know. If you're affiliated with another hospice or simply caring for your loved one at home, contact us directly at carrymehomechoir@gmail.com!

In 2024, Susan Zurcher saw a newspaper announcement about the creation of a choral group that would sing for hospice patients and decided to attend its informational meeting.

10/12/2025

"The person who dies [alone] in a hospital room with the TV on is from my perspective . . . a place where we have failed.” (Dr. Ira Byock)

As families fracture, people are living longer and are more likely to find themselves without close relatives or friends at the end of their lives.

10/02/2025

How does a hospice choir work? What do we do?

The first and simplest explanation is that we sing in small groups to offer comfort to people nearing the end of life and their families.

How many singers?

Occasionally we sing in larger groups; for example, we all sang at a recent church service, and eight of us recently sang for a number of people at a memory care facility. And much of the time, a much smaller group of us--3 to 5 people max--sing for an individual person and/or their family, either bedside or wherever they or their family indicate would be most comfortable. We might even sing softly outside a person's room, so that they can experience the music without feeling like they need to be alert to "pay attention" to us--that's not what we're there for, and there are no expectations of the patient at all.

How long do we sing? How many songs?

It depends entirely on what works best for the patient or their family members. It could be one or two songs, only 5-10 minutes. It could be up to a half hour or so. Again, we are there to offer comfort. We sing only for people who have requested that we come, for as long as they want us there (within reason!)

Where do we sing for people?

In people's homes. In assisted living or memory care facilities. In hospitals. In skilled nursing facilities. In hospice or respite settings. Wherever someone in hospice is, if they want us to come, we come. We go anywhere in the greater Dayton area.

What do we sing?

We talk with the family ahead of time to learn about what sort of music the person most loves and what their religious or spiritual traditions might be. We then bring an assortment of music--traditional, religious, and familiar. We try to make a point of practicing and singing songs that the patient most loves, even if it's new to us.

Is this like a performance?

No. It's not a performance. We are there for one reason...to offer comfort and joy through song. We welcome patients, family members, staff, and others to sing along if they know the songs. Sometimes we even take requests and we all just sing old favorites together.

How do I arrange for Carry Me Home to come?

If you're a family member who is affiiliated with Ohio's Hospice of Dayton, you let your caseworker or nurse know that you'd like us to come and they will let us know and we will be in touch.

If you're being served by another hospice, or if you just have a relative or friend that you think would love us to come, you can reach us directly at carrymehomechoir@gmail.com, or you can reach out here on Facebook.

Lastly, if you're a singer, and you think you might like to join us, please be in touch, also at carrymehomechoir@gmail.com!

09/30/2025

Yesterday, eight of us had the great privilege of singing for a person in hospice care, along with a large number of people from the residence community that came to listen! We sang a variety of songs, from hymns to some requested favorites, which we practiced especially for our visit! What a wonderful day--it's rewarding to be able to offer the gift of song!

Send a message to learn more

09/30/2025

Carry Me Home Hospice Choir at our rehearsal last Sunday afternoon. As we like to say, not wanting to be too big for our britches, “not too bad!” #

We sing a wide variety of music ,from hymns to soothing chants to contemporary or cherished favorites!

09/05/2025

We recently had the great privilege of singing at a service at David's Church in Dayton, spiritual home of two of our choir members. The church has been so generous and welcoming in providing us with rehearsal space, and we were honored to be part of their recent Sunday morning service, which is also livestreamed to congregants at home.

If you'd like to hear the three pieces we offered, they are:
Angels Hovering Round, found at 5:50.
Bobby McFerrin's 23rd Psalm, found at 29:40
and
The Lord Bless You and Keep You, found at 1:18

Just a quick note that when we sing for hospice patients, we most often sing in groups of 4 or 5 people, not this larger group.

Do you live in the Dayton area? Would you like to sing with us or do you know someone who might like to have us come and sing? Please be in touch at carrymehomechoir@gmail.com!

We are an Open & Affirming and Creation Justice Congregation!Whoever you are, know that at David’s Church, you are both worthy and welcome.Wherever you are o...

07/21/2025

What is hospice? What is it supposed to be? Lovely explanation here:

If I was the nurse opening up your hospice case, this is what I would say, and do. First of all, I come into your house at the time I say I’m going to come. If I’m going to be early or late, I call first and make sure that’s okay. I don’t ring the doorbell all gloom and doom. That’s not be...

06/20/2025

Five of us from Carry Me Home Choir had the great privilege of singing in a quintet yesterday for hospice patients (and other residents!) at Carlyle House in Dayton! It was such a pleasure, getting to share songs with these wonderful people, and hearing about their own experiences and history with music!

Send a message to learn more