Life Choice Hospice Trains Nurses, Volunteers and Families in Comfort Touch Massage for Seniors and the Terminally Ill

It is a well known fact that the benefits of the human touch are endless. When a person is ill or in their final moments of life, touch becomes an essential part of mental and physical stimulation. Hospice nurses and C.N.As (Certified Nursing Assistants) with Life Choice Care and Comfort, a hospice located in Fort Washington, PA, have been learning an innovative new technique to stimulate the physical and emotional needs of their patients. Marytheresa Vogler, Director of Volunteer Services, has developed an in-service workshop for caregivers on Comfort Touch Massage, a massage technique tailored to the elderly and the ill. She is also sharing this technique with volunteers and family members.

This massage technique was created by Mary Kathleen Rose, a massage therapist working at a skilled nursing facility in Bolder, CO. Rose developed this technique in response to the needs of her hospice patients, who were often bedridden, with limited mobility as well as chronic disease. The primary intention of Comfort Touch Massage is to provide comfort to patients through techniques that promote deep relaxation and relief from pain.

This massage technique can be used anywhere and in any position. It does not require the use of special equipment and can be performed in a variety of settings, for a person in a wheelchair, in a hospital bed, a regular bed, in a recliner or in a chair. Comfort Touch Massage also does not require the use of lotions or oils and can be practiced on a person who is fully clothed. Comfort Touch Massage is also a great technique to use on infants.

According to Vogler, Comfort Touch Massage is easy to learn and extremely useful, “Anyone can learn to perform this type of massage,” she explained. “It’s great for hospice nurses and C.N.A.s. Anyone can learn to use Comfort Touch; a person can even learn to do this at home to a home-bound relative or infant. There are so many wonderful benefits to this technique.”

According to a study from the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, massage for seniors has many benefits:

• Improves relaxation and communication in Alzheimer's patients
• Facilitates increased range of motion and pain management for arthritis sufferers
• Triggers natural joint lubrication through increased circulation, improving mobility
• Increases coordination, strength, flexibility and posture
• Reduces muscle tension, which can assist in a more restful sleep
• Expedites healing of wounds
• Boosts energy level and mental awareness

It is for all of the above stated reasons that Vogler, along with other administrators at Life Choice Hospice, have made training in Comfort Touch Massage mandatory for all of their staff. Volunteers for Life Choice Hospice are also being taught this technique. Vogler travels to Life Choice affiliated facilities to train their staff members on Comfort Touch. “Anyone can learn to do this,” she said. “Touch is a healing balm for these people. It doesn’t just provide them with a physical feeling, but also touches them emotionally. You are taking time out to pay attention to them and do something caring, something the ill and elderly need very much.” With an emphasis on living, Life Choice Hospice supports and assists terminally ill individuals and helps their loved ones cope with the challenges of life’s ending.

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