Last week I have handed in my assignment. It was on the benefits of massage for the elderly people. I used the internet database to search for data and publications that people have done on this topic.
I then put all this information into my essay. It was difficult for me to read some of this because my English is not so good. I use Google translator to help me understand. Also I have a translator app to help me convert to Chinese.
Doing this research has helped me understand the benefits that massage can have for elderly people.
There are four categories age groups:
1. 55 - 64 as older adult,
2. 65 - 74 as elderly adult,
3. 75 – 85 as aged adult,
4. 85 years and older.
Identify benefits such as
· Sleeping Better
· A Reduction In Stress
· Relief From Arthritis And Chronic Pain
· Increased Recovery Time From Surgeries
· Better Circulation
· Lower Blood Pressure
· Relief From Some Symptoms Of Alzheimer’s Disease
Also I found tips to help you when working with elderly people such as:
• Reduce pressure, limit stretches, & joint movements
• Shorter sessions for frail clients
• Inspect feet
• Guard against chilling
• Guard against falling
• Be patient and reverent
When working with geriatric people you can identify these things
• Decreased subcutaneous fat
• Increased bruising from reduced
• Support of vessels
• Reduced temperature regulation
• Wrinkles and sags
• Reduced elasticity
• Becomes more thin and frail
• Tears more easily
• Heals more slowly
• Ribs calcify and chest wall becomes rigid
• Thoracic movement is reduced
• Lung capacity is decreased
• Heart enlarges
• Vascular Walls Thicken and narrow
• Blood pressures increases
• Circulation decreases
• Person may fatigue more easily and have dizzy spells
• Increased varicosities and blood clot formation in legs – especially in sedentary clients
• Decreased gastric secretions
• Slowed digestion
• Increased heartburn
• Decreased tone of sphincter muscles
• Fecal incontinence
• Decreased muscle mass
• Decreased bone mass
• Decreased strength
• Reduced flexibility
• Altered gait
• Articular cartilage erodes
• Synovial fluid production decreases
• Discs dehydrate and narrow
• Increased instances of osteoporosis (women), osteoarthritis, and kyphosis
• Decreased cerebral blood flow
• Nerve degeneration
• Reduced response time
• Loss or increased sensitivity to pain
• Decreased cold tolerance
• Decreased balance and coordination
• Altered gait
• Pupils decrease in size
• Increased cataracts
• Less light enters eyes
• Walls of auditory canals thin
• Eardrums thicken
• Vision impairments are common
• Hearing impairments are common
• Decreased bladder capacity
• Incomplete Bladder emptying
• Urinary urgency
• Decreased tone in sphincter muscles
• Urinary incontinence
