In today’s day and age we underestimate the power of touch. We are addicted to our screens, our devices, & everything else but each other.
Over time there has been a rift between generations, the older generations coming from an era where the idea of touching another person did not have any negative connotations associated with it.
Massage is a modality that gives us a chance to connect with our clients and allows us to not only help them relieve their aches and pains but also it has a lot of benefits when you look at it from a mental health perspective.
Mental Health For Seniors
Seniors are the least touched of all the age groups. The reason, according to researchers, could be that many elderly persons live alone and are socially isolated.
Touch is especially crucial for elderly persons who may be lonely, depressed, or suffering from chronic disease due to a lack of social connection. Unfortunately, despite anecdotal evidence, there are few scientific research on the precise advantages of touch for elderly.
Benefits Of Touch
Touch, according to research conducted by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, can:
- Reduce the amount of discomfort
- Lower your blood glucose levels.
- Reduce your heart rate.
- Reduce your blood pressure.
- Improve your pulmonary health.
- Boost your immune system.
- Improve your attentiveness and performance.
Massage has been related to boosting blood flow and immunity, lowering blood pressure, and speeding up the healing process in the elderly. It’s also a good way for seniors with chronic pain, such as arthritis, to cope and control their discomfort.
Massage treatment, in fact, has the power to benefit almost all the body’s systems.
You have the huge potential to improve your ageing loved one’s general health, wellbeing, and quality of life via touch, whether you seek out a massage therapist that specialises in treating elders or include massage into your caregiver training.
How often should you get a massage?
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to massage frequency; nonetheless, I think it’s a pity that people prefer to put it off until they have aches and pains.
You may enjoy them whenever you want and not only as a treat.
The effects of massage are frequently felt instantly; for some, they begin to relax as soon as they sit on the massage couch. If you choose deep tissue massage, you may experience some discomfort during the massage if you have stiff muscles, but your body will reward you.
Massage is a lovely method to realign your entire being anytime you feel like it.
