Touch that matters
Touch that matters
Touch therapy is vital in ensuring the continued health and wellbeing of senior individuals living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Massage therapy forms part of what we at Geriatric Care Solution (GCS) call our signature Caring Touch. Maximizing the wonders and beauty of this particular approach is hinged on stimulating the benefits of one of the most basic yet vital experiences known to us all: human interaction
A variety of expert-led researches reveal the immense impact of touch on the health and wellbeing of seniors with dementia. Massage and touch therapy stimulate various body processes and help promote sleep, keep negative feelings of anxiety, isolation, and loneliness at bay, while also helping build trust, relationship, and familiarity between the caregiver and the senior individual under their care. More importantly, it also strengthens their connections with the people around them, including the users of their surrounding community, while also rewarding them with greater dignity and improved quality of life.
Here are three simple methods that form part of the routine that our Certified Care Touch Providers are trained to offer your loved ones at home:
Hand massage
Hand massages help restore balance in the body by releasing tension packed in the muscles and the tissues.[1] Since this offers a very relaxing experience for seniors with dementia, it also helps promote sleep by stimulating the release of serotonin and relieving pain to induce better relaxation.
Foot massages
Relaxing foot massage help manage feelings of anxiety or isolation among seniors with dementia. This helps decrease stress levels, which cause a variety of other mental and behavioral issues for elders, while also helping improve blood circulation.
About 5-10 minutes of foot massage, experts say, help reduce agitated behavior among seniors with dementia.
Slow-stroke back rubs
Back massages help ease chronic back pain, which may be common among seniors living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease due to lack of regular movement.
It is also proven to help induce and improve the quality of sleep, while also helping alleviate or decrease the pain levels of headaches. This is especially important among seniors in advanced stages of dementia who may not be able to clearly convey what is making them feel uncomfortable or uneasy.
We’d love to talk to you about how we can help your senior loved ones with dementia through our Caring Touch or any of our other specialty services. Connect with us today.
[1] https://shelleyshairandspa.com/7-health-benefits-of-hand-massages/
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