A calling inspired by compassion
When Anysia Palmer’s grandmother was in hospice care, she saw firsthand the difference that compassionate, patient-centered support could make. “She had a beautiful team of people that helped her to be comfortable in a way that was the most meaningful for her,” Anysia recalls. Though music therapy wasn’t part of her grandmother’s care, the experience opened Anysia’s eyes to how much more could be done for patients and their families. She wanted to be part of that gift — helping others navigate the final stages of life with comfort, dignity, and meaningful connection.
With a bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s degree in music therapy, Anysia now serves as a full-time hospice and palliative care music therapist. She leads a team of five board-certified music therapists while also training students in the field and serving other patients in her own private practice.
The power of music in hospice care
Anysia’s role in hospice is unique — while she’s not a clinician, she plays a significant part in her patients’ care plans. “Our job is to relate to people and support them in their clinical goals, and music is the vehicle we use to get there,” she explains. Through research-based interventions like singing, songwriting, and playing music in a way that resonates with each patient’s personal preferences, she helps create moments of peace and connection.
Anysia has found a way to take that connection even further. Though she doesn’t use a stethoscope for diagnostic purposes, she uses Eko’s technology in another meaningful way.
Transforming heartbeats into songs
Anysia and her team frequently use Eko to capture heartbeat recordings as part of their legacy projects for patients in their final moments of life.
"It’s a wonderful way to support not only our patients, but also their families as they navigate their final sunset."
These “sunset songs” are deeply personal compositions that families can cherish long after their loved ones have passed away. “It’s a wonderful way to support not only our patients, but also their families as they navigate their final sunset,” she shared.
The sunset songs enable Anysia and her team to connect patients with loved ones, whether they are present or far away. “We've done recordings for family members who live in other states, and they can listen to the recording on their phones, which helps them feel close to the person they love,” she explained.
Anysia recalls a patient whose daughter lived far away. “He told me, ‘I want to send a piece of my heart to my daughter.’” She recorded his heartbeat, paired it with a song that held special meaning for him, and sent it to his daughter. “She told us, ‘This is just the best gift because I can't be there to hug my dad. It felt like getting a hug from him from far away.’”
Preserving heartbeats with care
Sharing a patient’s heartbeat is a delicate process, both emotionally and legally. To ensure privacy while still providing something special for families, Anysia and her team create a "heartbeat loop" — transforming a single beat into a continuous rhythm.
"It’s a beat. It’s steady. It repeats." To me, that’s music."
This approach allows them to share a cherished sound in a way that maintains confidentiality while preserving its emotional significance. Some families choose to receive just the heartbeat itself — no added music — while others request it be paired with an existing song.
Either way, Anysia sees it all as music. “It’s a beat. It’s steady. It repeats,” she says. “To me, that’s music.”
Capturing these recordings, however, can be a challenge — especially in hospice care, where heart sounds are often faint. That’s where the Eko CORE 500™ Digital Stethoscope has made a difference.
A new level of clarity with the CORE 500™
“In hospice care, we often have very low or poor heart sounds, and sometimes it’s hard to capture a clear recording. But with the CORE 500™, I’m able to see the sinus rhythms and say, ‘Okay, good. I got it.’” Being able to visualize the heartbeat in real time gives Anysia confidence that she’s captured something tangible for the family.
This CORE 500™ isn’t just a tool; in Anysia’s hands, it becomes an instrument of love and remembrance. Its ability to record, amplify, and share heart sounds allows Anysia to create lasting legacies for families.
Where medicine meets music
Anysia’s work represents the beautiful intersection of medicine, technology, and art. For grieving families, the heart sounds become a source of comfort, a way to feel connected to their loved ones, and a reminder of the life they shared.
At Eko, our mission has always been to provide clinicians with the tools to listen more closely and care more deeply. Anysia has taken this to a new level, using our technology to give families something priceless: a piece of their loved one to hold onto forever.
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