Elderly Client

[Stinky F]

Just wondered if anyone has experience of massage of the elderly.

I treated an elderly gentleman of 84 for the first time a couple of days ago. He since has booked a weekly treatment for the foreseable future which is great. I received the referral through a GP who told me the client had been receiving massage treatments frequently in the US and has now returned to the UK and would like to continue these.

He had a fall about 9 months ago where his arm was very bruised and swollen for a couple of months . This has all subsided and it is safe to massage but his arm remains quite numb as a result. He only wanted arm massage and leg massage. I was obviously gentle and stuck with effleurage. At the end of the massage he said he had more feeling in his affected arm than he had had for a long time.

The main question here is, I have since heard from a friend that it is advisable to stick to 30 minute massage for elderly such as this client as a one hour massage could prove too much with the release of toxins etc.

Does anyone have any comments on this?

Look forward to hearing from you all!

love
H

 

[Steffie]

Hi Hols.......i believe it is the age old answer.......it all depends on the individual and that is up to you to both negotiate.I have many elderly clients who have hour long treatments(and i do mean in their 80s) and i have given hour long treatments to 2 elderly ladies who both had what i can only describe as a healing crisis post treatment a day later and i believe it was because of the length of treatment.As you are treating for 1/2 hour now perhaps if he wishes you could gradually build up the time. I would also say that you can use more than effluerage if you need to .Good idea to ask how long and what his treatments were like in the US you may be able to get a better picture of what he can tolerate.Jane

 

[Leftfoot]

Hi Hols

I like janec treat lots of elderly patients, I would we have the highest rate of retired population in the country

You have to go with your instincts on this one, you get a sense of when you are doing to much but that varies from person to person, I have some in their nineties who would not settle for less than a full body treatment which takes one hour.

Just like everyone else they can feel a little rough for a day or two but they keep coming back