Massage therapy can help clients with dementia by providing relaxation, stress relief and the essential benefits of human touch. According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, there are over 560,000 people living with dementia in Canada today and this number increases by 25,000 every year. 65% of those diagnosed with dementia over the age of 65 are women and you have a 45% higher risk of developing dementia if you smoke. There are several types of dementia, these consist of Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Huntington’s disease, alcohol related dementia (Korsakoff’s syndrome), and Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. There is currently no cure for any type of dementia nor is there any treatment to stop the progression.

Lack of human touch has been known to cause negative feelings of anxiety, isolation, loneliness and lack of trust in caregivers. Our upper body massage includes arm and hand massage which has been found to reduce cortisol levels and produce a physiological relaxation response and slow-stroke back massage which requires moving the palm of the hand in long, firm and rhythmic strokes. It has also been found that foot massage can reduce agitative behaviour symptoms such as verbal aggression, wandering and repetitive movements. At Creative Wellness Solutions we are trained in providing massage to senior clients and with our specially designed massage chair there is no need to remove clothing or climb onto a table. We have found massage helps our clients reduce sundowning symptoms and improve sleep.