Touching Lives in Eldercare and Hospice

People often avoid visiting loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease. They avoid it because they assume that the visit won’t be remembered so what difference does it make? Today on NPR I heard a great interview with Justin Feinstein, a graduate student in neuropsychology at the University of Iowa. He reported on a fascinating study published in the National Academy of Sciences that finds that that the emotion tied to a memory lingers in the mind even after the memory is gone. This concept validates what I’ve observed in my work with elders with dementia. While the elder doesn’t remember me or previous sessions, there seems to be a sense memory of the pleasure of a Compassionate Touch session. The study revealed that people with severe memory loss retain the emotion of an event long after the memory of the event fades. In other words, the pleasurable feelings that touch and massage elicits live on even though the person can’t say why she feels good. This is important information about how massage positively impacts quality of life—the touch lives on! If you have a relationship—professional or personal– with anyone with dementia, consider showing family members how to use simple massage to enrich their visits. Maybe they won’t feel such a need to avoid it.
Blessings to you,
Ann

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