Team Franciscan Center: Spa Update

Kristin Pitstick

With summer just beginning, now is a great time to give your skin a little more TLC. So before you grab a friend and set up for a BBQ, let’s talk a little bit about the skin and what massage can do to help.


Skin is the body’s largest organ. Yep, you read that right: skin is an organ. According to reference.com, an organ is defined as a group of cells that work together to perform a specific function in an organism. This most certainly qualifies the skin. Some of the skin’s jobs include protection, sensory response, maintenance of body temperature, and waste management. Kind of makes you look at your skin a little differently doesn’t it?

According to skincancer.org, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer over the course of a lifetime. Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than breast, prostate, lung, and colon combined. Yikes!

Massage does offer great benefits to help improve the function and vibrancy of skin. A few things massage can do is help re-moisturize and soften dry skin, increase the production of natural oils thus improving skin suppleness, encourage cell regeneration, help to improve skin color, and reduce superficial scar tissue. Isn’t your skin worth it? Give your skin a little “thank you” and stop by the Day Spa for a massage today.

The Franciscan Center Day Spa offers several different types of massage. Please feel free to stop by the spa and take a look at our menu of services! We are happy to answer any questions that you might have. Or, call us at 432-6540.

Team Pitstick: A Place to Pause...

The meditation garden at the Franciscan Center on this beautiful snowy Friday! It’s a good day to reflect on all of the beauty in your life.

Team Franciscan Center Spa Update!

Kristin Pitstick
Spa Manager

Winter is just about here and that means SNOW! I know, I shouldn’t utter the “S” word, but it’s important for us to prepare for the upcoming months. Here at the Franciscan Center, we are preparing with Paraffin Hand Treatments. They are excellent for helping with those aches and pains that inevitably come with Old Man Winter. Not sure what that is? PERFECT! I’m going to highlight it in this month’s issue.


The following information is taken from www.livestrong.com. A paraffin treatment uses warm oil-based wax to provide pain relief to hands, feet and sore joints and muscles. At the Franciscan Center, we primarily perform this on hands, but it can be done on the feet as well. Paraffin treatment is a form of deep heat therapy. The liquified wax is quite efficient at absorbing and retaining heat. In addition to its skin softening properties, a paraffin treatment will improve blood flow, increase range of motion for people with arthritis/bursitis or other chronic joint disorder, relax stiff muscles, and sooth pain.

Don’t let the cold weather ruin your winter! Bring a friend and stop by the Franciscan Center Day Spa to set up your appointment for a paraffin hand treatment, manicure, pedicure, or massage! While you’re here enjoy a dip in the pool, dinner and the Station House, and some socialization with great friends.

Team San Damiano: Compassionate Touch

Compassionate Touch combines one-on-one focused touch and sensitive massage with specialized communication skills to help enhance quality of life for those in later life stages. Tim, our spa massage specialist, does this very well with our residents.  This is such a peaceful experience! ~Submitted by Sister Christine~

The Francscan Center:

The Franciscan Center Team: Thoughts from Tim Barringer

Tim Barringer

As a certified geriatric and special needs massage therapist, it is not uncommon to perform 30 and 15-minute sessions. One of the most frequently asked questions goes something like this: “Is a half-hour really enough time?” In short, yes! The typical one to two hour massages that are so common today are largely due to American influences during the sixties.


While an overall massage is beneficial, it is not necessary to massage every patch of skin. Massage has heavy influences on the heart and sensory nervous system of people 55 and older. A long-lasting massage (60-minutes or longer) can overload the nervous system, heart, and possibly other internal organs. By decreasing the massage, we are able to focus the work on problematic areas and prevent a burden on our internal systems. Overall, half-hour to 15-minute sessions are convenient to schedule, more affordable, focused, and easier on the 55+ body. Remember, each session will be tailored to your specific needs – why not spend time on the places you need it the most?

Tim Barringer and Compassionate Touch for the Memory Impaired

Massage and Alzheimer’s Disease


With Alzheimer’s disease on the rise, many healthcare specialists are looking to outside resources for help manage symptoms. Sharon Puszko, Ph.D, LMT, owner/director and educator of the Daybreak Geriatric Massage Institute, wrote an article in the March 2010 issue of Massage Magazine regarding the safety of massage for Alzheimer’s disease. This post is a summarization of her article.

Nowadays it seems we all know, or know the caretaker of, someone with Alzheimer’s disease – a degenerative disease that causes memory loss, as well as changes in mood and personality – and it does not look like this trend will decline any time soon. A 2009 report from the Alzheimer’s Association states that:

1. Alzheimer’s disease is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.

2. Every 70 seconds, someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s

3. Health care costs triple for people older than age 65 suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia

4. By 2030, the number of people age 65 and older who will be suffering from Alzheimer’s is estimated to reach 7.7 million

However, in the midst of these grim truths about Alzheimer’s disease, something to look forward to is the emergence of massage therapy as a technique for managing irritability and anxiety.

The article, “The effectiveness of slow-stroke massage in diffusing agitated behaviors in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease,” published in the Journal of Gerontological Nursing, states the “physical expressions of agitation such as pacing, wandering, and resisting were decreased when … massage was applied.”

Another study, “Therapeutic touch and agitation in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease,” published in the Western journal of Nursing Research, examined the effect of therapeutic touch on Alzheimer’s patients and stated “Physical nonaggressive behaviors decreased significantly in those residents who received therapeutic touch compared with those who received the simulated version and the usual care. The study provided preliminary evidence for the potential for therapeutic touch in dealing with agitated behaviors by people with dementia.”

Maintaining a predictable schedule of twice-weekly appointments is ideal when working with Alzheimer’s clients, and the appointment should be between 10 and 30 minutes. Working with clients while they are dressed and sitting in a chair will make them more comfortable as well.

Success is difficult to measure when dealing with a degenerative, fatal disease. The most we can hope for is to help the patient relax, improve circulation, facilitate better sleep patterns, and, in general, improve the quality of the client’s life. Touch is usually the last memory the Alzheimer’s disease patient can register. Touch is the first sensation we experience at birth and the last we register when all other sensations are gone.




Tim Barringer
Massage Therapist



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!

Team Wellness: Lunch and Learn!

Team Wellness enjoy hand and shoulder massages from Tim, Kristen, and Sharon! We also took a little extra time and celebrated staff birthdays with cake!

Team Franciscan Center: Relaxation Massage!

Kristin Pitstick

Spa Manager

With 2012 in full swing, we at the Franciscan Center hope you are sticking to your resolutions. Having trouble? Here are a few good tips to help: set realistic goals, focus on one objective at a time, get a journal, share you goals with others, and reward yourself with a massage at the Day Spa! In this month’s issue, I will be talking about Relaxation massage.

As the name implies, Relaxation massage is a gentle massage where the primary goal is, you guessed it, relaxation. During a typical session, there is less emphasis placed on working out tense muscles and more on gentle gliding strokes to induce a peaceful state.

Although this is the least strenuous massage, there are still substantial benefits: improved blood circulation, stimulation of the lymphatic system, a calming effect on the nervous system, and an increased sense of well-being.

Let 2012 be the best year of your life -

Team Fraciscan Center: Deep Tissue Massage!

Kristin Pitstick Spa Manager

Happy New Year to you and your family from the Franciscan Center Day Spa! A new year means a fresh start – a time for personal reflection and growth; a time to move forward and reach our goals. In this month’s issue, I am going to talk about deep tissue massage – the lies, the truths, and if it is appropriate for you.

First and foremost, deep tissue massage is a technique that aims to relieve the deeper structures of muscle and fascia. It uses many of the same movements as Swedish massage; however the sessions are often more intense as a result of deliberate, focused work. Many people associate deep tissue massage with “deep pressure” massage, these are not the same. Deep pressure massage is a technique that is performed with sustained strong, occasionally intense pressure throughout and entire full-body session. Not only is this technique physically intense on the therapist, it may also lead to injury of localized muscle or nerve trauma.

Deep tissue is great for people with chronically tense areas, specifically when adhesions are involved. It is also beneficial for people with limited mobility, postural problems, fibromyalgia, repetitive strain, and osteoarthritis pain. It is NOT recommended for people with infectious skin diseases, open wounds, acute injury, varicose veins, immediately after surgery, those prone to blood clots, those who bruise easily, areas with sensation loss, deep vein thrombosis, and contagious conditions. Those with osteoporosis should obtain written permission from their doctor before receiving a deep tissue massage. If you think you could benefit from a deep tissue massage, call the Day Spa now to consult with one of our therapists. Make 2012 the year you reach your wellness goals!

Team Franciscan Center: Benefits of Massage Therapy!

Kristin Pitstick
Spa Manger

I would wager that most people have a general understanding about the benefits of massage therapy – it relieves stress, improves circulation, and encourages muscle relaxation, just to name a few. But did you know that it is one of the oldest forms of medicine? Evidence of massage therapy has been gathered from many ancient civilizations including Egypt, China, Japan, Rome, Greece, and India. Written records can be traced as far back as 2,700 B.C. Even Hippocrates (the “Father of Modern Medicine”) stated, “The physician must be experienced in many things, but most assuredly in rubbing.”

In the United States, massage was practiced and documented through the early part of the 20th century. However, with the advancement of technology and modern medicine, the demand for massage plummeted. Massage remained dormant until the latter half of the 20th century, when a rising interest in alternative medicine brought back the ancient technique. To date, there are close to 100 different massage and bodywork techniques – each created to fulfill a specific purpose. With such rich history, it is no wonder that people everywhere are rediscovering what massage can do! Come in and let our team of massage therapists help you reach your wellness goals!

Team Franciscan Center: Massage Therapy and a Vital Life

Kristin Pitstick
Salon Manager

Massage therapy has been around for thousands (yes, that's right, thousands!) of years. While we know it makes you feel good, do you ever wonder about the other benefits of massage? Let's take a look at what this ancient technique has to offer. 1. Increase in Circulation – even the gentlest forms of massage can cause an increase in circulation allowing the body to pump more nutrients into vital tissues. 2. Enhanced Immunity –massage helps to increase lymph flow - lymph is the body's natural defense system - which helps to fight off foreign invaders. a. Increased lymph and blood circulation leads to an improvement in the condition of the body's largest organ: the Skin! 3. Reduced Muscle Spasms and Cramping. 4. Increased Joint Flexibility and Range-of-Motion. 5. Relaxation of Injured and Overused Muscles. 6. Increase in the Release of Endorphins (the body's natural pain killers). 7. Decrease in Stress. 8. Lessen certain psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety. 9. Exercise and stretch atrophied muscles (this is a condition of weak, degenerative muscle tissue). 10. Helps to Relieve Migraine Pain. While many consider massage a luxury, one cannot deny the role massage plays in overall health and wellness. I encourage you to include massage into your wellness program. Not sure where to start? Contact one of our therapists to help create a treatment plan that's right for you!