Louisiana woman who discovered her gift at church brings music to nursing homes

MONROE, La. (Aging Untold) — Hope Abel performs regularly at nursing homes across north Louisiana, but her path to becoming a musician was once in doubt.

It was once in doubt that she’d be able to communicate at all. When Abel was a child, a professional told her grandmother to prepare to institutionalize her.

“At age 6, I was told by a professional to prepare myself that I’d have to institutionalize her by age 12,” Melanie Dozier, Abel’s grandmother, said.

Years later, a trip to church changed everything. During an open mic night, Abel ran to the piano before her grandmother could stop her.

“Open mic night. ‘If you have a gift, come on up, share it with us.’ And she runs, and I tried to grab her, but I missed,” Dozier said.

Abel sat down at the piano and left the church speechless.

“I walk into church with my sweetheart, and I walk out of church with a musician,” Dozier said.

Her family then began looking for places to showcase Abel’s talents. Local nursing homes welcomed her.

Katherine Ambrose, an aging-well coach and Aging Untold expert, said that sense of purpose can make a difference for the person sharing the gift and for the people receiving it.

“I love this story, that she knew what her gift was and she just jumped in. People that thrive, they have a great sense of purpose and what a gift she is to all these other people,” Ambrose said.

Abel’s calendar is now filled with performances at nursing homes.

Ambrose said what makes Abel’s story powerful is the resilience behind it.

“It’s really remarkable what some people are able to accomplish just having belief and hope and to keep going,” Ambrose said.