Everyone needs human touch, however, as seniors age, too often they tend to have less personal contact with other people. It’s not that your mom or dad does not want to hold hands with someone or wrap their arms around you for a loving, comforting hug, but chronic pain may be impeding their movement and making touch more painful. With the hesitance to come close, they may be observed as being standoffish or just disinterested. Professional home care experts note that this is often far from the truth and that chronic pain may be the culprit that keeps them at arms-length.

Home care providers suggest reintroducing touch to your mother or father through massage. Touch massage therapy may begin with a soft caress, stroke, or pat of the hand. Home care experts recommend that if your parent feels uncomfortable with the process, start instead by assisting with handwashing or applying lotion to dry skin. Using the appropriate pressure may procedure relief to arthritic fingers and the palms of the hand. Your parent may be shown the motions of milking to release this pain as well.

Arthritis, bursitis, chronic illnesses such as diabetes, and muscular diseases often create aches and pains in the lower back. There are many massage techniques as well as other treatments that are non-invasive to help your mom or dad release or lower their pain levels. Massage allows for hand-to-skin contact where the adhesions under the skin are worked on to soften and release the tension causing the pain. The touch is warming and also psychologically soothing for many.

Seniors may find relief with acupuncture or through reflexology that zones into areas of the body that may be causing the pain to an area of the body.  Whatever the therapy, home care providers believe that loving human touch is necessary for everyone’s survival.