Posts Tagged ‘hospice massage’
Helping People: Cancer, Senior & End of Life Massage
One of the most common reasons we hear people say they are interested in a career in massage therapy is that they want a career that helps people. This series will look at how massage therapy can help, what we as therapists refer to as, special populations. This article will cover oncology massage, senior massage…
Read MoreHow Working With Hospice Patients Differs From Other Practices
by Dawn Nelson Relating to the seriously ill and the dying through the intimacy of conscious touch differs in a number of ways, compared to massaging relatively healthy, mobile and active people. Hospice patients may be in shock from receiving a diagnosis of an incurable illness, or traumatized by the effects of various invasive procedures,…
Read MorePsychosocial Benefits of Hospice Massage
by Dawn Nelson For the hospice patient, caring, compassionate touch in the form of massage may have benefits more significant and more immediately noticeable than the physical benefits. People who are approaching death from a life-threatening illness are often experiencing a veritable kaleidoscope of thoughts and feelings, which may include: Anger about the diagnosis, the…
Read MorePhysical Benefits Specific To Hospices
by Dawn Nelson With the influx of advanced medical technology and the great variety of drugs available, we tend to forget that the simple, careful touch of the human hand is one of the most ancient and effective means for relieving discomfort in the body. Pain control is often a primary concern for hospice patients,…
Read MoreHospice Massage | The Three Big FAQs
By Jennifer Shaw, Austin Massage Therapist and Guest Blogger 1. What is Hospice Care? Hospice is “(a)n interdisciplinary program of palliative care and support services that address the physical, spiritual, social and economic needs of terminally ill patients and their families,” as defined by Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. The idea of hospice for the terminally…
Read MoreDoing Hospice Massage – Business or Volunteer Service?
by Pietro John Caporusso, LMT Actually, what I wrote first was “Business or Pleasure? “ Isn’t that how the phrase usually goes? But I realized that sounded pretty dark for an activity that is both sobering and personally satisfying for me. Unlike most CE workshops that teach massage techniques or business practices, the focus of…
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