Hospice Massage is a popular two-day intensive class that explores the need-to-know information for a massage therapist interested in working in a hospice setting. The class will prepare the professional massage therapist to understand the history of hospice, the difference between hospice and palliative care and the role of a massage therapist in hospice care. There will also be a discussion of how to find hospice clients and all the most important aspects of working with this unique population. Touch techniques for medically frail clients will be taught and practiced.
Learning objectives:
The participant will learn:
- The philosophy and history of hospice and palliative care.
- The physical-mental-emotional-spiritual needs of clients in end of life care.
- How to safely and effectively provide touch to clients at end of life.
- The importance of building trust and confidentiality in hospice care relationships.
- Active listening skills.
- The emotional challenges of working with people at end of life and self-care skills for the massage practitioner.
- Working as part of an interdisciplinary care team
- Maintaining professional boundaries and the importance of self-care while caring for the dying.
About your instructor, Beth Villante: Beth graduated from the Pennsylvania School of Muscle Therapy in 1999. She founded the South Street Healing Center in November of 1999 where she worked side by side with her mentor Dr. Paul Brown Bodhise a naturopathic Chiropractor and body worker. There she learned the Bodhise Method of Neuromuscular Therapy. In 2001 Beth studied Oncology Massage with Gayle MacDonald MS, LMT one of the pioneers of the field and author of Medicine Hands: Massage Therapy for People With Cancer. Later she joined the team at the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Jefferson Hospital practicing clinical massage in a hospital setting. Beth specializes in Neuromuscular Therapies, Myofascial, Swedish, Pfrimmer, Sports, Perinatal, Oncology and Geriatric and Hospice massage modalities. In addition to her massage studies Beth became a Registered Nurse in 2011 and then completed her BSN from Chamberlain College of Nursing. Beth taught Massage Therapy and all related science course work at the National Massage Therapy Institute prior to joining the hospice team at The Home Care Network Hospice. Beth is an enthusiastic Nurse Massage Therapist, passionate about integrating massage therapy into the changing face of healthcare.
Workshops taught by Beth Villante: Medical Massage Level 1 & 2, Massage for Oncology & Hospice Patients
