Tom doesn’t walk into Carnegie Park Post Acute planning on a giant stage or bright spotlight — he walks in with a guitar, a smile, and a deep understanding of what music can do for healing.
His connection to Carnegie Park Post Acute began on a personal note. When his mother-in-law, Dolores Cardillo, needed rehabilitation after an accident, Carnegie Park in Carnegie, Pennsylvania was recommended for her care. During that time, Tom found a meaningful way to give back. “I play guitar and sing for the residents,” he says, “encouraging them to join in with me and request songs.”
For Tom, the music is only part of what matters. The real impact comes from connection and empathy. “Sometimes all it takes is a smile, hello, and telling [the residents] you like what they’re wearing to make them smile,” he explains. Tom believes that a simple human interaction can change the course of someone’s day, and of their healing journey.
Tom’s motivation comes from his grandmother, who left him with words that still guide him today. She once gave him a Bible with a bookmark that read, “I shall pass this way but once. Therefore, if there is any good I can do, let me do it now.” Tom says that message inspires everything he does for the residents.
Seeing residents happy brings him joy as well. “Making them smile and be happy makes me happy,” Tom shares. He plays any song that gives them joy, adding, “Any song they like to hear that makes them happy.”
Tom also believes deeply in the healing power of music. “Music helps me cope with whatever I’m dealing with and going through,” he says. “It gets my mind off my troubles while I’m singing and playing guitar — and I think it does the same for the residents.”
After noticing a music therapist working with residents returning from the hospital, Tom became even more convinced. “I believe music heals,” he says. He sees every day the change that music and joy can bring to individuals as their body works to help them improve.
Above all, Tom is grateful for the opportunity to share his gift. “I greatly appreciate Carnegie Park for allowing me to share my music with the residents,” he says. “When I see them smiling and clapping, I’m glad to see them happy.”