Massage therapy for the aged

Massage therapy is a non-invasive way of helping to manage many conditions associated with ageing, especially when complimented with traditional medical and allied health services.

Massage has many well-documented benefits which have an overall effect of improving quality of life. The effects of massage can assist in maintaining activity levels which is vitally important for older people to maintain mobility and independence.

Some of the many benefits of massage include:

• Alleviation of aches and pains
• Improved mobility
• Improved blood and lymphatic flow
• Improved sleep length and quality
• Reduction of stress and anxiety
• Improved mood
• Improved mental alertness and energy levels
• Social interaction
• Improved digestion

Massage is great for:

• Pain associated with osteoarthritis – osteoarthritis is an extremely common condition in the aged population, and is characterised by pain and stiffness of joints. Massage can help with reducing muscle tension, improving joint mobility and reducing pain.
• Parkinson’s disease – clients report massage is very helpful in managing the pain and rigidity associated with Parkinson’s disease
• Depression, stress and anxiety – it has been postulated that the mechanism by which massage reduces stress is through the reduction of cortisol (otherwise known as the ‘stress hormone’) levels in the body.
• Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease – through achieving a physiological response of reducing heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels, massage can result in the reduction of physical expressions of dementia such as pacing, agitation and resisting care.

All our massage therapists are trained to tailor the massage to the individual, taking into account medical conditions, age and personal preferences. They all have police clearances and appropriate insurances.

If you would like to know more about massage or arrange for a therapist to visit you, or your facility, please get in touch on (08) 9424 0200.