Compassionate Touch Workshop
Providing Compassionate Care to Seniors
Stephanie Humphries, owner of Right at Home and physical therapist, conducted her second Compassionate Touch workshop at the Family Caregivers Center of Mercy on October 30, 2019 in Cedar Rapids.
Compassionate Touch is a hands-on technique designed to be used by family and professional caregivers working with people who have dementia. The power of touch and its benefits are largely unrecognized and underutilized in our society so this type of workshop helps bring those benefits to participants’ attention. Stephanie shared some general information about dementia, effects of isolation on seniors, and what Compassionate Touch is and how it is implemented. Attendees practiced the technique on each other’s hands and experienced the beneficial effects. One participant asked if there have been scientific studies done to prove the efficacy of the technique. It was explained that there have been a number of studies published about the beneficial effects of touch for seniors in terms of reducing blood pressure, loneliness, need for certain medications, and an improvement in overall well-being. The details of these studies went beyond the scope of the workshop but links to this information were provided to the attendees. Some of the more experienced caregivers working for Right at Home have been trained in the Compassionate Touch program and have had success using it with their clients who have dementia.
If someone you love is in need of care, contact us today.
