I was contacted by a concerned child that their parent was having an extremely difficult weekend at their care facility. Fortunately, I was scheduled to see them Monday morning.
I did some internet research and watched a few YouTube videos in preparation for my visit. When I arrived, although extremely happy to see me, I could tell that she was “off.” After a brief discussion, we scrapped our previously scheduled plans, and I tried something new for both of us…music and a hand massage.
I found calming piano music that incorporated sounds of nature – birds chirping, waves crashing, rain hitting a roof and the sound of bees buzzing…and gently massaged their hands with lavender-infused oil. For 40 minutes, we listened to music while I gently massaged the hands. At one point, she fell asleep. Afterwards, we had a light lunch and tended to some plants that needed some TLC in her room.
The transformation in the parent’s demeanor was remarkable, offering relief to the client and their loved one, and I gained another valuable tool for future client care.