Team Franciscan Center: Massage Designed for You!

Kristin Pitstick
Spa Manager

Summer is in full swing and that means heat, heat, HEAT! It’s important to stay hydrated and wear appropriate clothing. Too hot outside? The Franciscan Center is a great place to meet your friends and socialize (and maybe grab a workout too!). In this month’s issue, I’d like to highlight an article about massage and seniors from the Massage Therapy Journal (MTJ) of the American Massage Therapy Association. If you wish to read the article in full, you may find it here: http://www.amtamassage.org/articles/3/MTJ/detail/2318


“Several studies have investigated whether massage therapy can relieve some of the symptoms of two common conditions associated with aging: osteoarthritis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Massage has a great deal to offer in ameliorating the aches and pains associated with aging. Along with exercise and NSAIDs, massage can reduce symptoms of common OA. For people living with Alzheimer’s disease, massage is a low-risk and relatively low-cost intervention that can be easily taught to caregivers. Particularly with the concern over the long-term side effects associated with many of the medications used to manage behavior in patients with Alzheimer's disease, massage is a promising intervention that may reduce caregiver stress as well.”

It’s important to note that while you receive a lot of benefits from being on the table, you can still receive benefits from sitting in a chair with hand/foot massage. Massage does not have to be full body for you to see improvements!