Massage Therapy For Seniors with Dementia

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Massage Therapy For Seniors with Dementia
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Dementia, also known as senility, is a brain
disease that affects the ability to think and to
remember. A person who suffers from dementia may
struggle with unstable emotions and decreased
motivation. The most common form of dementia is
Alzheimers disease. Other types of dementia
include Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal
dementia. A person can suffer from more than one
type of the disease.
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Efforts at state and federal levels strive to
treat this disease without the use of
anti-psychotic medication. One natural method
that helps those suffering from dementia is
massage. Because they dont receive a lot of
human touch, many older people experience
feelings of loneliness, isolation and anxiety.
Older adults who live with serious health
conditions are especially receptive to a loving
touch. They dont often receive touch from health
care providers, but older persons have reported
that touch helps them feel safe and cared for.
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Hand massage is something that dementia patients
may especially benefit from. Five minutes of hand
massage has been shown to cause the release of
relaxing hormones and the decrease of cortisol
levels. Low cortisol levels ensure a better sleep
and a stronger immune system. Massage has also
been shown to increase serotonin, the
neurochemical responsible for mood regulation and
relaxation. Agitated dementia patients have
displayed a reduction in irritability lasting for
up to one hour following a five- to 10-minute
hand massage session. According to a 2010 study
performed by Suzuki, both aggressive behavior and
stress levels decreased significantly following
hand massage.
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Another massage method found to be affective is
the slow-stroke back massage. Slow-stroke back
massage uses long, rhythmic hand movements known
as effleurage. One slow-stroke back method
involves a figure-eight pattern on each side of
the back. Massage stimulates the production of
endorphins, the bodys natural painkillers and
antidepressants. Back massage also affects the
autonomic nervous system, causing the person to
relax. A simple three- to five-minute massage
session of slow-stroke back massage has been
proven to
Decrease agitation including care resistance
and pacing Decrease blood pressure and heart
rate Decrease anxiety Lull to sleep Ease
pain
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Foot massage is often readily accepted by those
who may not feel comfortable with a back massage.
As with any other type of massage, foot massages
help promote sleep, ease pain and decrease
anxiety. Studies have shown that 10-minute foot
massages decreased verbal aggression and
repetitive movements after two weeks of treatment
for both-men-and-women.
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Touch is a language of the human heart. Giving a
dementia patient the gift of touch can help him
or her remember their worth by giving them a
sense of love and care and easing the negative
effects of the disease.
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Thank You!
Our mission at Home Care Assistance of El Paso
County is to change the way the world ages. We
provide older adults that reside in Colorado
Springs and El Paso County with quality care that
enables them to live happier, healthier lives at
home. We invite you to call us today to speak
with a professional care manager at (719)
822-1229 about our services.
325 Second Street Suites H I Monument,
http//www.homecareassistancecsprings.com/
Address
CO 80132
Phone
[phone]
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