These are the opening words of an article written by Corey Radman for the online magazine “Whispering Tree.”  In it, she interviews me about the development of Comfort Touch, and talks with Lisa Olds, the coordinator of The Hospice Care Center in Louisville, Colorado. To read the article follow this link:

http://whisperingtree.net/articles-and-media/practitioner-spotlights/849

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Mary Kathleen Rose, BA, CMT, is an ardent advocate for the needs of the elderly, and the ill, and those in hospice and other medical settings, who can benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective nurturing touch. The developer of Comfort Touch® Acupressure, she is the author of “Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill,” (LWW 2009) and DVD of the same title. For information on trainings and resources visit: www.comforttouch.com or call 303-651-9375.

I’d like to share with you the words of Lora Drezner as she speaks of her experience with this magical instrument:

“My folks tried, nagged and pushed, but despite years of piano lessons I was not the talented musician they seemed convinced ran in our family. But now, well into middle age, I have found a musical outlet in the Reverie Harp. As a patient care volunteer I became trained in playing this lovely instrument. It is simple; remove from case, place on lap in any direction, run fingertips over the strings. That is it, suddenly music fills the room, and my parents would be thrilled.

“I take the harp on many of my home visits playing for and with patients, families and caregivers. Soft music surrounds the bed, couch, chairs as we move closer together. Everyone wants to give it a try. A patient, long distant, begins to sway, hum and strum the strings. A wife, talking for hours of her husband’s illness quiets as she tries the harp, smiling as she experiments with plucking notes. A caregiver, exhausted, laughs loudly as she brings forth a broad sound sweeping her hand across the strings. And, a patient, agitated and confused, stills and listens as I somehow get the tune to Amazing Grace. She finds deep in her memories a few words to the old spiritual. We sing together and are beautiful. Time slows as I play the song over and over. She puts her head on my shoulder and sleeps for almost an hour, wakening only when I stop playing. Yes, Amazing Grace for an hour, a gift.

“It is the professional staff of Montgomery Hospice that makes these special moments happen for the patients and families by providing competent, compassionate and comprehensive care.  In working to build on their clinical excellence the staff members have become innovators, adopters of new approaches and leaders in the area of end-of-life care. The Reverie Harp is just one component of the Complementary Therapies program offered to all patients and families.”

Thank you so much, Lora, for sharing your experience. While visiting Montgomery Hospice I had the opportunity to try out the instrument for myself. Here are a couple of short videos of my first touches with it. I ordered one for myself the next week when I got home, and am enjoying it immensely.

Mary plays Reverie Harp

The soothing sounds of the Reverie Harp

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Mary Kathleen Rose, BA, CMT, is an ardent advocate for the needs of the elderly, and the ill, and those in hospice and other medical settings, who can benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective nurturing touch. The developer of Comfort Touch® Acupressure, she is the author of “Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill,” (LWW 2009) and DVD of the same title. For information on trainings and resources visit: www.comforttouch.com or call 303-651-9375.

The largest target audience for Comfort Touch is the elderly and/or those who with chronic illnesses, or those who are in medical settings. If you are wondering how to market your skills here a few questions to consider: Do you feel competent in the skills you are offering? If so, what are you doing to actively find your desired clientele? Do you know where these people are in your community? Do you know someone who works in some other capacity with this clientele? Are you willing to do home visits? Are you willing to educate family and/or staff about your services?

These few questions should be enough to set you on your path. As in the general practice of massage, it takes commitment and motivation to build a practice. I advice my continuing education students and Comfort Touch practitioners to check online or in the phonebook to find senior facilities in your area, if that is the population they want to work with. Learn what services and resources there are in your community. Don’t hesitate to stop by a senior center and introduce yourself. Learn about the services they offer. Many communities now have Senior Resource fairs or expos. Medical organizations have employee wellness days. Ask to offer a sample of your work. It is important to educate staff, as part of your path to building a referral network to connect you with people who will benefit by your caring touch.

It is often helpful to partner with someone else who is interested in working with the same population. Too often massage therapists fear competition, but I have found that it is useful and satisfying to continue to practice with someone  else who does similar work to you. Meeting and talking with peers is an important tool for learning, networking, and gaining mutual support. Offering seated Comfort Touch at a community health fair is a lot more fun when you do it with a partner. Offering an inservice to staff at an assisted living facility, or giving a presentation to family members of potential clients can generate interest in your work.

I am also asked, “What do you charge for Comfort Touch?” There is no single answer to this. It is the same set of answers for any service. What do you want to charge? Do you work on a sliding scale – letting the client decide on the fee that works for her or him? Do you offer gift certificates? If you work a regular 2-4 hour shift in a facility, would you rather charge by the hour or by the number of clients you see? Do you want to do full body sessions, or do you want to do shorter sessions, that might be more affordable and accessible to individuals? Do you want to be paid by the individual client or the facility? What works best for you?

Think about your answers to the above questions. Be creative. I have taken many approaches over the years. I have seen elderly and chronically ill clients in their homes as part of my private massage practice, and it is no different from a business standpoint than it is with my younger clients. I have also worked in facilities where I’ve been paid by the facility for a set number of hours per shift.

As in any practice of bodywork, it takes an open mind and a willingness to put yourself out in your community to succeed.

(Read Chapter 9 of Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill, by Mary Rose for more ideas on marketing Comfort Touch.)

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Mary Kathleen Rose, BA, CMT, is an ardent advocate for the needs of the elderly, and the ill, and those in hospice and other medical settings, who can benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective nurturing touch. The developer of Comfort Touch® Acupressure, she is the author of “Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill,” (LWW 2009) and DVD of the same title. For information on trainings and resources visit: www.comforttouch.com or call 303-651-9375.

Yes, the job of a massage therapist does involve much more than the hands-on session. It involves creating the whole environment into which people enter. Surely, they can sense the ambience of the space as they enter into a world of sights, sounds, smell, and touch. And how they feel as they come into this environment sets the tone for their experience of the massage. Whether you work in a spa, a clinic, an airport or a street fair your caring attitude attracts clients to you, and will keep them coming back.

Of course this attitude of caring about the work environment carries over into the hands-on session. Your client knows that you care by the words you speak; for example you might ask, “How are you today? How can I help you?” They know that you care by the focus of your touch and your sensitivity to their feedback. If you are distracted and thinking about being somewhere else, your client just might be thinking the same thing!

So ask yourself, “Do I care, and how do I show my clients that I care?”And remember that cooperation among co-workers also contributes to an environment that makes it a healing place for everyone – clients and therapists alike.

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Mary Kathleen Rose, BA, CMT, is an ardent advocate for the needs of the elderly, and the ill, and those in hospice and other medical settings, who can benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective nurturing touch. The developer of Comfort Touch® Acupressure, she is the author of “Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill,” (LWW 2009) and DVD of the same title. For information on trainings and resources visit: www.comforttouch.com or call 303-651-9375.

When he noticed I was there, he stopped. I introduced myself, saying I was the massage therapist, there to see his wife. He became apologetic, saying “Oh, I’ll get out of your way. I’m not sure if this is okay what I’m doing…”

“Oh, you are just fine,” I reassured him.” I’m sure she appreciates everything you do for her.” I asked him if he wanted to stay and watch me work. Clearly, he was interested in learning what I did, and was particularly attentive as I gently massaged her feet, with broad, encompassing contact pressure. I told him that he could do this too.

Then I quietly left the room, leaving the two of them together. When I came back a few days later, he greeted me with enthusiasm, saying, “I’ve been doing what you showed me, and I think she really likes it.”

“Yes, I’m sure she does. She is so lucky to have you!”

Many times over the years of visiting people in hospice and hospital settings, I have had similar opportunities to encourage family members to touch their loved ones in ways that are comforting. Often the caregivers of patients are afraid to touch, concerned that they might cause injury. When I show them what they can do safely – using basic techniques of Comfort Touch nurturing acupressure on the hands or the feet – they feel grateful. It is empowering to let them to know that they do make a difference.

Field of sunflowers south of Longmont, Colorado. Photo by Mary Rose.

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Mary Kathleen Rose, BA, CMT, is an ardent advocate for the needs of the elderly, and the ill, and those in hospice and other medical settings, who can benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective nurturing touch. The developer of Comfort Touch® Acupressure, she is the author of “Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill,” (LWW 2009) and DVD of the same title. For information on trainings and resources visit: www.comforttouch.com or call 303-651-937
 

Good nutrition forms an essential aspect of self-care. As I begin to enjoy the harvest from my humble vegetable garden, I’ve decided to share some nutrition basics with you. This subject is one that creates an immense amount of confusion for many people. While diet information abounds and hundreds of books flood the market, I find the basics of a good diet to be very simple. The following information comprises better than 95% of what most people need to know to enjoy a healthy, nutritious diet.

I have a friend who wrote a catchy reggae tune with the line “What do you do for fun?” As health care providers we can get serious about self care, and all the things we need to do to be fit and healthy in order to be of service in our chosen profession. We can eat right, work out, get adequate sleep, but sometimes we just need to ask “What am I doing for fun in my life?” What feeds and nourishes my spirit, and rejuvenates my creative energy?

A few years ago, I experienced a major life challenge – an injury/condition that resulted in a diminished ability to do certain activities that I’ve always enjoyed  — hiking in the mountains, riding my bicycle around town, dancing…So what to do? In working with so many people over the years in my practice of Comfort Touch, I have been inspired by the ability of human beings to adapt to change, and I’ve come to believe that true health really is the ability to adapt to change.

So I bought a canoe. Being on the water is something I’ve long enjoyed, but never taken very seriously. Now, I am serious about having fun in my boat, and sharing that joy with others. This summer I turned 60. I think of the words of Steve Martin on turning 60. He said, “Sixty. That’s when your long term goals become your short term goals.” Let summertime fun be one of your short term goals. Ah yes!

Enjoy your summer!

Watch a short video of Mary in her canoe – recorded by Ian Frechette:

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Mary Kathleen Rose, BA, CMT, is an ardent advocate for the needs of the elderly, and the ill, and those in hospice and other medical settings, who can benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective nurturing touch. The developer of Comfort Touch® Acupressure, she is the author of “Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill,” (LWW 2009) and DVD of the same title. For information on trainings and resources visit: www.comforttouch.com or call 303-651-9375.

One way to get to know clients, is by observing their surroundings, whether they are in a private home or a room in a residential care facility, a hospice, or other medical setting. Notice photographs or greeting cards that are in the room that can tell you something about the person and their life. Your comment about a photo that you see can evoke a fond memory for the client about a special loved one, or a particularly happy time.

As you observe the photos, artworks or special objects in a client’s room, you develop a greater appreciation for the wholeness of the person’s life. Your words of interest or appreciation about what you notice let them know that you see them beyond the frail individual they now appear to be. For example, when I commented to one elderly woman about a photo of a sailboat on her wall, she began to tell me about her deceased husband, and all the happy times they and their children had shared in that boat.

In one skilled nursing facility, I worked with an elderly man with Parkinson’s disease. He had limited ability to speak, and seemed distant and uncommunicative. I noticed that he had a single framed photograph on the wall. It was of a young man hiking on a trail in steep mountainous terrain. When I asked if that was him in the photo, he smiled and nodded his head, indicating that is was. The photo helped me to see him as a whole person, one who carried that memory and experience of the wilderness into the present. As I shared my love of the mountains with him, he listened attentively, grateful to be seen and acknowledged.

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Mary Kathleen Rose, BA, CMT, is an ardent advocate for the needs of the elderly, and the ill, and those in hospice and other medical settings, who can benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective nurturing touch. The developer of Comfort Touch® Acupressure, she is the author of “Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill,” (LWW 2009) and DVD of the same title. For information on trainings and resources visit: www.comforttouch.com or call 303-651-9375 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 303-651-9375 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

It is so humbling and gratifying to hear how the Japanese are embracing this approach. I am especially grateful, as my study and practice of Shiatsu were so influential in the development of Comfort Touch. Japan also has a growing interest in the hospice movement.

In 1984 when I was a massage student, I had the good fortune to have three wonderful women teachers at the Boulder School of Massage Therapy, who taught me the traditional form of Barefoot Shiatsu. But I also remember another person who made an impression on me and my study of Shiatsu. Her name was Mari, and she was a Japanese exchange student, living in Denver with my sister and her family at the time.

When I practiced what I was learning in school with my family, Mari lit up and commented: “Oh, that is what my grandmother taught me!” So I practiced on her, and I also experienced her touch. Barefoot Shiatsu is typically practiced on a futon on the floor, and some of the techniques involve use of the therapist’s feet applying broad rhythmical pressure on the client’s legs, feet and back. Very relaxing and nurturing, it is also rejuvenating and energizing. Other techniques use broad compression applied with the hands to the general surfaces of the body – back, legs, arms, shoulder, head, etc. She told me that this was a form of massage that was passed down in her family from parent to child.

I have always had a strong commitment to the value of nurturing touch in the home, shared between family members. Mari and her story of her grandmother gave me a picture of this value from a culture other than my own. There are a number of significant aspects of Comfort Touch® that resonate with the idea of massage in the home. First, the techniques can be learned and shared with family members. Second, it can be practiced anywhere – there is no need for any special equipment. I appreciate the adaptability of the Japanese, and how this translates into the practice of Shiatsu. It can be practiced on a futon on the floor, a bed, or seated on a mat on the floor, or on a chair. And thirdly, the practitioner learns to be grounded and comfortable in their own body, making appropriate accommodations in order to convey their quality of touch to the receiver.

So it is with great joy, humility and gratitude that I hold my Japanese edition of “Comfort Touch.”

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Below are images from my Barefoot Shiatsu class at the Boulder School of Massage Therapy in the summer of 1984. These photos were taken by Peter Byron.

Students practice Shiatsu in the seated position on mats on the floor.

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Mary Kathleen Rose, BA, CMT, is an ardent advocate for the needs of the elderly, and the ill, and those in hospice and other medical settings, who can benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective nurturing touch. The developer of Comfort Touch® Acupressure, she is the author of “Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill,” (LWW 2009) and DVD of the same title. For information on trainings and resources visit: www.comforttouch.com or call 303-651-9375 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 303-651-9375 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Breathing with the Pulse

Sit comfortably in a chair or on a cushion on the floor, and close your eyes.

a.      Place the fingers of one hand along the radial pulse points of the opposite hand (at the wrist below the base of the thumb).

b.     Inhale to the count of 4 pulse beats, and then exhale to the count of 4 pulse beats.

c.      Continue to inhale and exhale with your pulse and enjoy the relaxation that comes with tuning into your body this way.

During this exercise, you can continue to hold the pulse points, or let go and continue to relax and notice your breathing. The pulse may change or slow down in this process. Be aware that the pulse can be variable, weak, or pounding. Don’t be concerned about the character of the pulse, simply do the exercise as given and notice the pulse without judging or analyzing it.

Even a few minutes of this practice can calm your body and mind. This exercise is particularly helpful in allowing you to get in touch with what your body needs in the moment.

Tulips and daffodils in my garden.

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Mary Kathleen Rose, BA, CMT, is an ardent advocate for the needs of the elderly, and the ill, and those in hospice and other medical settings, who can benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective nurturing touch. The developer of Comfort Touch® Acupressure, she is the author of “Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill,” (LWW 2009) and DVD of the same title. For information on trainings and resources visit: www.comforttouch.com or call 303-651-9375.