Welcome to this group focusing on massage therapy for the dying. Feel free to contribute. As I am writing this I am sitting with a friend of 30 years who is transitioning. He has pancreatic cancer. I feel honored to be with him during this time. I would appreciate hearing from those of you who have personal experience working with the dying and/or who have taken classes regarding offering care to the dying. I would love to deepen my knowledge regarding how to work compassionately and empathetically with people who are dying and I'd also like to learn how to best serve their family members. Your suggestions and support are welcome. Warmly, Ariana
Dear Kelly - Thanks so much for joining the group and for sharing about the passing of your maternal grandmother and your former brother-in-law. It is good to know that we are not alone. We are looking forward to your ongoing participation in this group. Warmly, Ariana
I am in Oregon. We are pretty strict. Is there any continuing ed for this sort of thing? I currently work with the elderly, and would love to offer this and/or hospice massage. Same thing? Thanks
I am a Compassionate Touch Practitioner and Instructor. I highly recommend their workshops and invite you to visit their website at www.compassionate-touch.org. The focus is on frail elder and end stage life massage. I am one of nine new instructors located throughout the U.S. Oregon is one of those new areas. I first attended a Level 1 Workshop in 2007 and knew immediately that I wanted to pursue working with this population of elders and hospice clients. Some of what I have since learned would have been quite beneficial to me while I cared for my paternal grandmother who had AD (Alzheimer's disease).
I am very interseted in this subject. My father pass from cancer in December 2009. It was painful for him when anyone would touch him. But he always asked me if I would massage his feet, he said it made him feel better. I would love to take classes to be able to help the dying. I have found a oncology massage class I plan on taking.
Some of the most rewarding clients I have had have been the dying. When you can improve quality of life right to the end and help make it an easy passing, that is when you feel the reward of being in the business of touch.
I am a Compassionate Touch Practitioner through the same training as Leslie. I just want to say "ditto". The Center for Compassionate Touch workshops are powerful. Thank you for beginning this site Ariana. .
Thank you for the invite Ariana. I have been an LPN for 30+ years and I am now a LMT. I love working with the elderly. I haven't taken any classes yet, but plan to in the near future. I think I will check into the class that Lesli talked about.
Working as a Certified Nursing Assistant for the majority of my life in the States of Michigan and Florida I have seen it all I do believe. I have worked side by side on many occasions with Home Health Care Companies and Hospice. Hospice was also in place when my own Dad passed on. That is an experience I am so grateful to have had. If I had stayed in that field Hospice was my next choice. I was led into Massage Therapy instead.
I took a weekly course called Spiritual Care for the Dying with Sogyal Rinpoche's Rigpa sangha, also massage for palliative care at Mt. Sinai medical school and oncology massage at Memorial Sloan Kettering. I'm training now at Hospice Care Network, Long Island, to do hospice massage. I teach a full semester oncology massage course, taking students for weekly clinical experiences at a hospital for 12 weeks. Working with hospice is something I've been wanting to do for a long time.
Ariana, you're a gem. Thanks for all your efforts!
As for me, personal experiences helping my father before he died while on leave from my Occupational Therapist position at a 200 bed long term care facility, then returning to work to find so many pt's. had passed away in my absence, then residents seemed to decide to leave this earth en masse after i returned. Needless to say there was not much time to grieve, which led me to leave my job to work for myself again, with a "healthy" massage clientele. As i began working with expectant mothers and attend with labor and delivery at a half dozen natural births, my balance was restored so that i could work more effectively than ever with dying folks. As far as classes, Tracy Walton's course was great for Caring for Clients with Cancer, and of course the Daybreak Geriatric Massage Institute's Lev 1 & especially Level 2 workshops were very helpful for me, as well as others, but it seems other things beside technique coursework helped to develop the empathy or compassion to do this job well. Caring for clients with specialty massage right up to the day they passed taught me much. Working with hospice clients and their families, sitting in Centering prayer and contemplative meditation has helped enormously to overcome the ego that wants to save everyone all the time, and allow a normal amount of grief to process.
I've learned much from listening to the stories others have told in lectures from Naomi Feil's Validation Therapy, or Jim Comer's books on family dynamics with a dying parent, to specialty massage programs i tried to develop for a hospice company that later didn't utilize it taught me a lot about the death and dying industry, as well as attending annual conferences like the Texas Ass'n. for Services and Homes for the Aged for almost ten years has enlightened me to the struggles those providers have daily addressing the needs of our elders. There are so many classes i still want to take, but in the meantime, i learn from each of my clients everyday, and the hospice clients seem to know better than others what life is all about. As i've said before, it is sacred ground we walk on. When we're with them every bush is burning, and we just have to remember to take off our shoes.(with thanks to Elizabeth Barret Browning)
I have been a hospice volunteer for several years and was wondering how to get involved in end of life massage. I am also a reiki master and feel a combination of massage and reiki would be very helpful for them.
I have been working with stage 4 cancer clients, using essential oils for many quality of life aspects in palliative care. I'm also training nurses in clinical aromatherapy for hospice care.
I am a massage therapy graduate, still uncertified (the test sucks, so hard). Anyway, I never dreamed I'd think about hospice massage until last year when my best friend was dying of colon cancer.
Massaging her feet, shoulders, head, legs...gave her relief that narcotic pain killers couldn't.
I have never had such a fullfilling experience in such an awful time.
Now I am considering doing hospice massage for a living instead of working on "healthy" people. The dying need massage more than anyone.
For all who are interested in caring for the elderly or the dying, I would like to recommend this beautiful and invaluable book: "From the Heart through the Hands" by Dawn Nelson. It has not only served my practice, but has deepened all the relationships in my life.
This is the first group I saw after joining this website and it made me think of a client that I just had. She was an elderly woman, and was in quite a lot of pain, any sort of touch/hands on massage was horrible for her. So, I did a Light Healing Touch session on her, a type of calming energy work, and it made her and the others in the room feel very peaceful. I highly recommend it!
I attended an incredible forum on Death and Dying yesterday at the AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine in Austin. It deepened my understanding about the process of death and dying and it also enhanced my knowledge regarding comforting the friends and family members of those who have passed. If you'd like to learn about the educational opportunities offered at AOMA, visit their website: https://www.aoma.edu/
I work on a oncology unit and have been for many years , I am also a CMT the hospital I work for still does not have MT's on site but word gets around that the caregiver at the hospital is a MT and I more often than not get calls from , the oncologist , primary physician , hospice or family members to do home massage, I love it and I also learn something new from every family member friend and of course the patient themselves . I get to know the patients in two environments which I feel very privileged to do so . Every course , book or info of any kind I can find to enhance my sessions I take .
I would like to encourage one and all to join www.findtouch.com this group is an advocacy group for the MTs. I provide massage to senior citizen members at the Springfield Robertson County Senior Citizens Life Center. The were recently awarded a grant by the Greater Nashville regional council on aging and disability to promote health and wellness, I was offered to promote it through massage. The response has been overwhelming, so much so that after the wmf this month i'm going to open the Therapeutic massage center there.
I am a Hospice volunteer and a Nursing Home volunteer. I figure volunteering will give me the experience and training I need in the environment. I decided to start looking into a type of internship or shadow a MT in the environment. I am certified and licensed. I want more of "hands on" experience. This is my life's purpose. I enjoy my volunteer work.
I provide many services for my patients, Reiki, Lymphatic Therapy, Aromatherapy, Massage. I am also a state and national proivder. www.naturescycles.com I would be happy to help anyone
My 101 year old friend in Cape Cod transitioned on Monday at 9:30. Thank you to everyone in this group who has offered support - directly and indirectly. There is strength in group energy. I am grateful for your presence.
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
Welcome to this group focusing on massage therapy for the dying. Feel free to contribute. As I am writing this I am sitting with a friend of 30 years who is transitioning. He has pancreatic cancer. I feel honored to be with him during this time. I would appreciate hearing from those of you who have personal experience working with the dying and/or who have taken classes regarding offering care to the dying. I would love to deepen my knowledge regarding how to work compassionately and empathetically with people who are dying and I'd also like to learn how to best serve their family members. Your suggestions and support are welcome. Warmly, Ariana
Feb 16, 2011
Kelly Sanders, LMT
Thank you for the invitation Ariana. My Grandmother (maternal) and recently my former brother in law both passed of cancer.
Feb 16, 2011
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
Dear Kelly - Thanks so much for joining the group and for sharing about the passing of your maternal grandmother and your former brother-in-law. It is good to know that we are not alone. We are looking forward to your ongoing participation in this group. Warmly, Ariana
Feb 16, 2011
megan Woods
Feb 16, 2011
Lesli R. McQuiston Lopez
Feb 16, 2011
Ann P. Sousa
I am very interseted in this subject. My father pass from cancer in December 2009. It was painful for him when anyone would touch him. But he always asked me if I would massage his feet, he said it made him feel better. I would love to take classes to be able to help the dying. I have found a oncology massage class I plan on taking.
Feb 16, 2011
Daniel Cohen
Feb 16, 2011
Travis Alligood
Feb 16, 2011
Rhonda Porter
Feb 17, 2011
Las Vegas Massage In Summerlin
~
When you can no long add more years to your life, we can add more life to your years!
:)
Kris
Feb 17, 2011
Sandy Gerhardt
Feb 18, 2011
Darcy Neibaur
Feb 21, 2011
Lisa Mertz
Feb 21, 2011
Jonathan L. Sullivan
Ariana, you're a gem. Thanks for all your efforts!
As for me, personal experiences helping my father before he died while on leave from my Occupational Therapist position at a 200 bed long term care facility, then returning to work to find so many pt's. had passed away in my absence, then residents seemed to decide to leave this earth en masse after i returned. Needless to say there was not much time to grieve, which led me to leave my job to work for myself again, with a "healthy" massage clientele. As i began working with expectant mothers and attend with labor and delivery at a half dozen natural births, my balance was restored so that i could work more effectively than ever with dying folks. As far as classes, Tracy Walton's course was great for Caring for Clients with Cancer, and of course the Daybreak Geriatric Massage Institute's Lev 1 & especially Level 2 workshops were very helpful for me, as well as others, but it seems other things beside technique coursework helped to develop the empathy or compassion to do this job well. Caring for clients with specialty massage right up to the day they passed taught me much. Working with hospice clients and their families, sitting in Centering prayer and contemplative meditation has helped enormously to overcome the ego that wants to save everyone all the time, and allow a normal amount of grief to process.
I've learned much from listening to the stories others have told in lectures from Naomi Feil's Validation Therapy, or Jim Comer's books on family dynamics with a dying parent, to specialty massage programs i tried to develop for a hospice company that later didn't utilize it taught me a lot about the death and dying industry, as well as attending annual conferences like the Texas Ass'n. for Services and Homes for the Aged for almost ten years has enlightened me to the struggles those providers have daily addressing the needs of our elders. There are so many classes i still want to take, but in the meantime, i learn from each of my clients everyday, and the hospice clients seem to know better than others what life is all about. As i've said before, it is sacred ground we walk on. When we're with them every bush is burning, and we just have to remember to take off our shoes.(with thanks to Elizabeth Barret Browning)
Feb 21, 2011
Laurie Leehan
Feb 26, 2011
Robert Thomas Parker
I also am a volunteer hospice massage therapist with Vitas, Citrus Valley, and Inland, hospices here in southern California My Web Site
follow the link for additional data, trials, explanations, etc.
Mar 4, 2011
Katharine Koeppen
I have been working with stage 4 cancer clients, using essential oils for many quality of life aspects in palliative care. I'm also training nurses in clinical aromatherapy for hospice care.
http://www.aromaceuticals.com/classes
My next foundational aromatherapy class is a 1-day intensive that will be given on April 2 in Dallas.
Mar 9, 2011
Erin Romanin
This is a powerful page Ariana - thanks for creating it. It is such an important topic that people are often uncomfortable to approach.
Apr 19, 2011
Mary Beth Kennedy
I am a massage therapy graduate, still uncertified (the test sucks, so hard). Anyway, I never dreamed I'd think about hospice massage until last year when my best friend was dying of colon cancer.
Massaging her feet, shoulders, head, legs...gave her relief that narcotic pain killers couldn't.
I have never had such a fullfilling experience in such an awful time.
Now I am considering doing hospice massage for a living instead of working on "healthy" people. The dying need massage more than anyone.
Apr 21, 2011
Robert Thomas Parker
Apr 22, 2011
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
"Geriatric Massage" and "Serving the Dying" were just added to Ariana Vincent's menu of massage therapy services
http://www.arianainstitute.com /services.htm
Apr 27, 2011
Carlyn Molloseau
May 9, 2011
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
I attended an incredible forum on Death and Dying yesterday at the AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine in Austin. It deepened my understanding about the process of death and dying and it also enhanced my knowledge regarding comforting the friends and family members of those who have passed. If you'd like to learn about the educational opportunities offered at AOMA, visit their website: https://www.aoma.edu/
May 19, 2011
Beulah
Jul 3, 2011
Kelly Sanders, LMT
Jul 3, 2011
Cathy Nelson
I am a Hospice volunteer and a Nursing Home volunteer. I figure volunteering will give me the experience and training I need in the environment. I decided to start looking into a type of internship or shadow a MT in the environment. I am certified and licensed. I want more of "hands on" experience. This is my life's purpose. I enjoy my volunteer work.
Nov 25, 2011
Robert Thomas Parker
Welcome Cathy,
I'd like to share my work with you since your post so clearly indicates
it would be for you. Please check web.me.com/touchmaster/nurture to see if
you would like to learn. Everything is free. Wishing you joy and fulfillment,
Bob Parker
Nov 26, 2011
Dolores
Hi
I provide many services for my patients, Reiki, Lymphatic Therapy, Aromatherapy, Massage. I am also a state and national proivder. www.naturescycles.com I would be happy to help anyone
Nov 29, 2011
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
My 101 year old friend in Cape Cod transitioned on Monday at 9:30. Thank you to everyone in this group who has offered support - directly and indirectly. There is strength in group energy. I am grateful for your presence.
Mar 7, 2012