Alice is one of the kindest patients I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. I’ve been providing massage for her since September 2025, in an assisted living facility. She’s always happy to see me, always grateful for the massage, always funny as she recalls...
Hospice care is designed to support dying at home, a wish that is expressed by a vast majority of people. Because our work is to meet clients where they are, this means providing massage in home settings – houses, condos, apartments, and trailers. These environments...
Multiple studies suggest that one simple strategy at the bedside can improve patient perception of the care we provide. Providers who sit down at the patient’s eye level are reported by patients to: -establish better rapport -show more compassion -seem less rushed and less intimidating....
When contracting with a hospice agency, communication can be limited. My routine is to contact the primary caregiver the day before my visit to ensure the scheduled time still works. Recently I reached out to the wife of a patient I have seen on a...
I could hear the patient even before entering her room. Her respirations were congested with “gurgling,” a sign of active dying. Apart from that, she was making a soft sound with each exhalation. It sounded like “ahhhhhhhh.” I sat at the bedside and gently caressed...
By Patty Brennan Adapted from THE DOULA BUSINESS GUIDE: How to Succeed as a Birth, Postpartum or End-of-Life Doula, 4th Edition Throughout time and in cultures all over the world, there have always been those individuals—usually women—who care for birthing mothers and the sick and...
My heart fell when I opened my email this morning. The new patient I was scheduled to see at 10:45 AM had passed away in the night. This has happened to us too many times to count and it always hurts. If we’d only known,...
Massage therapists in hospice care face undeniable challenges, including finding work, keeping work, and getting paid for what we do. Despite these challenges, the two of us have enjoyed more than 40 years of combined experience in this field. Let’s talk about the challenges first....
We touch people all day long. But the truth is that we ourselves are often the ones touched by this work! Take yesterday, for example . . . Touching Story #1. I arrived at the room of one of our young patients. She was lying...
I recently had a unique experience that I’m apparently holding on to more than I should. I received a massage therapy referral for a 71-year-old pancreatic cancer patient. When I receive a referral, the patient has been vetted by the attending RN and the patient...
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