Touching Lives in Eldercare and Hospice

Happy Friday!  I want to share an experience that taught me a lot about how a little act on my part made a big difference for someone else.  I was in Mount Dora Florida teaching a Compassionate Touch workshop along with my associate, Lisa.  We stayed at the retirement community hosting the workshop and as I was unpacking, I found a purse in the dresser. The contents made it clear it belonged to a little girl.  Wallet, ipod, lipsticks, etc.  Lisa and I found an identification card and called the phone number.  We explained to the girl’s mom what we found and she told us the story of the “missing purse”.  The girl’s grandfather lives at the retirement community and the girl’s family had visited him.  Upon returning home (in another state) they realized the purse was missing. The girl was heartbroken.  You see she took pride in the contents of that purse and thought it was gone. We agreed to get the purse to her grandfather who would mail it to the little girl.  Everyone was so excited!
Time passed. Yesterday, I got a letter containing a note from the little girl and one from her mom. Here is what they said.
Dear Ann and Lisa,  Thank you so much for finding my purse and returning it to me.  Most people would keep it so thank yall so much. And yall are a god send.  Thank you!  And from the mom,  You two were a real answer to our prayers. I cannot tell you how many people searched for this purse coming up empty handed. The day before you called we had finally resolved ourselves that it was lost forever.  My 7 year old daughter was the owner of this elusive purse. She had saved her own money for over a year to buy the ipod. It was heartbreaking to her to have lost it.  So to find out it was found was like Christmas all over.  Thank you for calling and taking time to care. Your kindness meant a lot to our family.

You can imagine how that letter warmed my heart! What a good feeling to know that such a small effort made such a difference. I like to think the little girl learned something about goodness in people, too.  So the take-away message? Maybe we shouldn’t underestimate the power of little acts.  Let’s all watch for them!
Take care,
Ann

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I grew up in a relatively small town in Kansas. I am a mid-west girl to the core (which I am quite proud of by the way!).  As a child I had little exposure to cultures other than my white, middle class, rural world.  My adult life has expanded my world view and I’ve had opportunities to relate to people from cultures other than my own.  Today our world is growing more culturally blended. Some see this as a challenge. I see it as an opportunity to learn from one another and see not only our differences but our shared humanity.  I came upon a piece written by Sister Barbara Sheehan called Honoring Cultural Diversity and You Accompany the Sick and the Grieving.   Sr. Sheehan offers some  guidance in caring for people of cultures other than our own.  She offers these insights:

• Take your cultural diversity temperature.  What do you think and feel about cultural diversity?
• Do a personal cultural inventory. Get to know yourself and your own attitudes and beliefs. What is your world view stemming from your own cultural roots?
• Reflect on your learned predudices. Explore the impact that stereotypes, historiacl narratives or lack or experience.
• Practice mindful listening. Listen to others with your whole being.
• Practice care-filled curiosity. Asking questions like “what is this person telling me about themselves?”

These perspectives seem like helpful touchstones for any professional caregiver today. I appreciate that  Sr. Sheehan’s guideance aligns with Compassionate Touch concepts about serving others.
Namaste (or as we say in Kansas, You take care now!)
Ann

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I hope you have enjoyed your week. I had the honor of presenting Integrating Massage Therapy as an Ancillary Service at the annual convention of the Advocate of Not-for-Profit Services for Older Ohioans (AOPHA) in Columbus, OH.  I took advantage of a chance to attend some other educational sessions and the overwhelming theme was, as Bob Dylan said in one of his early songs, “the world, it is a changing.”  I’d like to pass along some interesting tidbits of information I gathered regarding the changing face and future of eldercare facilities.
Bob Applebaum, Professor of Gerontology at Miami University, Oxford, OH reported in his presentation entitled Meeting the Long-term Care Challenges of an Aging Ohio:

• More people admitted to skilled nursing facilities are there for tempory stays rather than permanently.  After 6 months only 1/3 of admissions are still in the nursing home.
• Long term nursing home residents are more impaired than ever before and require more skilled care
• In the future, nursing homes will increase emphasis on dementia care and short-term stays for rehabilitation
• Technology may enter the eldercare scene in ways such as robotic personal care attendents (he reported that this technology exsists now but is cost prohibitive)

Jo Donovan is Director of Clinical Education for Skilled Care Pharmacy in Mason, OH and she offered an interesting presentation called Changing Course, Changing Focus… MDS 3.0 and the Voice of the Resident.  You may not be familiar with the term MDS (and if you are, did I just feel a little cringe?). The Minimum Data Set (MDS) is part of the U.S. federally mandated process for clinical assessment of all residents in Medicare or Medicaid certified nursing homes. This process provides a comprehensive assessment of each resident’s functional capabilities and helps nursing home staff identify health problems.  A couple of things in her presentation stood out that I think are relevant to massage therapists interested in serving elders in nursing homes:

• New mandates effective Oct. 1, 2010 emphasize person-centered care. This mean that personal choice and preferences must be honored. This gives each individual greater control and voice in his or her daily life.
• There will be greater focus on life-enriching activities and psycho-social well-being.

These are certainly areas where massage therapists can have a positive impact.  I am happy to report that many of the attendees to my session reported already having massage therapy or planning to add it to their facilities!  The world is a changing– in some very positive ways!

Take care,
Ann

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Hi again,

Last week I participated in the Florida State Massage Therapy Association convention in Orlando. Congratulations to those hard-working folks who organized and hosted a stellar event!  My role this year was to take part in the exhibit hall talking with therapists about serving people in eldercare and hospice.  The diversity of people in massage therapy is striking.  Believe me standing on a trade show floor for 3 days will give you a good look!  Today we have 20 year olds just starting a career; 55 year olds looking to have a new career in “retirement” ; and all ages in between.  Men and women.  Caucasian, Latino; African American; Asian.   How does this relate to serving people in eldercare and hospice?  Old age and illness knows no ethnic boundaries.  I see our long term care communities becoming more blended. The blend may change depending on what part of the country you live in.  For example in the Midwest we have more Spanish-speaking elders entering our healthcare system and nursing homes.  A facility I visited in the Northwest had many Asian residents.  A North Dakota facility had many Native American residents.  As the population of the United States becomes more diverse it is essential that care professions reflect that diversity. I’m glad to see that represented in the individuals making up the massage therapy profession.
Take care, Ann

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Hi all,
If you are reading this you have an interest in serving people in eldercare or hospice.  There are many aspects to this work. Communication skills, hands-on techniques, safety, and navigating the health care system.   As a massage therapist in this work you are a caregiver– a care professional.  You touch people at a time when their lives have taken a profound turn.  Serving others as a care professional can open your heart and the work itself becomes a spiritual practice.  This idea has been explored by many spiritual leaders from many faith traditions.  It is a universal idea that I invite you to ponder.  Sit with this question: How does your work with frail elders or people in end of life care reflect and propel you along your personal spiritual path? 

The Spiritual Care Program is one example of an effort to shine a light on how we can expand our awareness and truly serve the individuals we touch.  Even if the dying do not actively practice in a spiritual tradition, we can support them by bringing to their bedside the presence, clarity, and profound compassion generated from our daily spiritual practice–thereby creating a “sacred environment” within which they can die. Christine Longaker
Isn’t  this our true work as massage therapists who choose to serve this special population?
Blessings,
Ann

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Hello all,
Last week was the annual Forum of the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.  Once again I participated in the event as an exhibitor in an effort to forward awareness of massage therapy in hospice care.  What I want to tell you is that hospice organizations are a lot more interested in our services than ever before! In fact the very first person to visit our booth said “our competitor has massage therapy so we need to add it too!”Thank you to FHPCO for an excellent event– well done! And thank you to our Compassionate Touch Practitioners who braved the pajama party to help out with hand massage for attendees. 
I encourage you to seek out what your state’s hospice organization’s events. It is an excellent way for you to network, learn and have a little fun!
Blessings to you,
Ann

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Hello all,

Last night the Center for Compassionate Touch launched our webinar series, Inspire U.  I want to shout out a big THANK YOU to Laura Allen for her presentation about what’s so great about social networking. As a person who has been a little resistant to get on board with social networking I have to say that Laura’s enthusiasm caught my attention! It was also really great to be joined by so many people from  the Compassionate Touch community – many of whom reach back a number of years—as well as welcoming many new folks.  It is part of my mission to be a premiere resource for massage therapists and other care professionals and to connect you to others who can assist you along your path of service. I hope you can join us on June 28 @8pm EST with Ryan Malone of Inside Eldercare. The goal of Ryan’s work is to educate and inspire you to make your elder care experience a positive one for you and your family. 

Speaking of positive experiences—while teaching at a long term care facility over the weekend, I witnessed how massage practitioners can model compassionate behavior for other care staff. There was a young activities staff person who was struggling to calm a woman with dementia who was agitated, yelling out and hitting herself.  The massage therapist asked to join them (the staff person was happy to have some help!).  The therapist sat quietly with the woman at first, joining her world in the moment.  Then she reached out her hand and the woman took her hand and made eye contact. Over the next ten minutes the woman went from yelling and hitting herself to laying her head on the therapist’s shoulder and resting while the therapist gently rubbed her upper back.  All the while, the staff person observed the interaction. That massage therapist made a difference in the quality of life for the elder and that young woman.  That is the magic of our work! 

Take good care and I’ll see you in the “social network”!

Ann

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I believe that one of our best gifts as massage therapists is for people living with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Touch is a powerful means of communication and reaching through the “fog” that dementia creates. I have seen first hand the transformation resulting from massage and focused touch. I’m constantly searching for resources related to best practices for dementia care and want to pass these wonderful resources along to you.
Naomi Feil, founder of the Validation Institute. Naomi says “Validation is a method of communicating with and helping disoriented very old people. It is a practical way of working that helps reduce stress, enhance dignity and increase happiness. Validation is built on an empathetic attitude and a holistic view of individuals. When one can “step into the shoes” of another human being and “see through their eyes,” one can step into the world of disoriented very old people and understand the meaning of their sometimes bizarre behavior.”
Teepa Snow is a dementia expert who trains and consults for healthcare professionals and families privately. As a certified Occupational Therapist, Teepa has the unique medical perspective on how the brain controls our body and our behaviors giving her the perfect medical degree to explain how a brain disease like dementia affects a person. Teepa Snow is a dementia expert who trains and consults for healthcare professionals and families privately.

Memory Bridge states it’s purpose as creating programs that connect people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias to family, friends, and other people in their local community. They also create programs that reveal to the general public the depths of memory that dementia does not erase. Their goal is to create a global community of people who, like us, are learning to listen to people with dementia for what they have to teach us about our own humanity.
I hope you find these resources as inspiring as I have. We all can learn from and support one another in the journey of caring for our elders living with dementia.
–Ann

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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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Healthcare reform has been on the minds of all of us. With passage of the new legislation this past week, I was curious to see what leading organizations in eldercare and hospice had to say about it. The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aged (AAHSA) offer a Health Reform Hub described as “your “one stop shop” for information about the health care reform debate”. The Hub highlights how the new law will affect aging services. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) offers a recap of what passed and what it means for end-of-life care. For massage therapists who serve those in eldercare and hospice the new legislation may have an effect on services, the impact of which will not be know for some time. Meanwhile we can stay informed and advocate for complementary therapies in these special settings. Take care, Ann

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