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Session Appeal:Comfort & Convenience

Seniors of all ages and mobility levels enjoy chair massage sessions.

Providers carefully assist individuals onto an accessible, padded massage chair. A table-top attachment is used with people who stay on their personal mobility device.

Individuals remain fully clothed and sit in an upright position to receive the gentle massage.

No oils, lotions or scents are used. Before each visit, the chair is fully disinfected and a disposal face-rest cover is put in place.

The same Provider works with an individual for all their sessions, enabling specific, in-depth, consistent care and enjoyable rapport.

The one-on-one sessions are provided at an individual’s residence/activity centre the same day and location each week. Participants easily book their session time through the chair massage provider visiting their location.

Individuals have flexibility in scheduling a 15- or 30-minute session, weekly or bi-weekly, based on their needs and availability.

M a s s a g e

Our unique sessions help seniors maintain independence and overall well-being by strengthening their physical and emotional health.

Specially trained, fully certified Providers offer the chair massages in seniors communities. A Provider works closely with a location, offering weekly sessions for a set day and time chosen by the facility’s staff. Seniors sign up for and attend a personal chair massage session on that day.

Each private, one-on-one session is customized to the individual and includes:

• identifying wellness needs through discussion, and with an initial VitalityCheck assessment for multi-session visitors;

• targeting problem body areas with specific chair massage techniques, pressure appropriate for the individual;

• sharing simple-to-use skills, exercises and information relevant to the individual’s current needs; and

• adapting each visit to the individual’s changing wellness needs and progress through ongoing discussion and follow-up VitalityCheck assessments.

Different massages are provided to proactively address each senior’s needs - leg and feet; lower and upper back; neck, arms and shoulders; and head and facial massages. Leg and feet massages are in particular demand to improve circulation and mobility, and to prevent falls.

Participants experience cumulative benefits through the impact of the massages and skill development over multiple sessions. The Provider and individual build on improvements and address further wellness needs during ongoing visits together.

Seniors chair massages are affordable. Introductory visit specials are offered. Individuals can then purchase cost-saving, multi-session punch cards, or for additional choice, select pay-as-you-go single sessions.

VitalityPlus Senior Wellness

Overview of our services

Chair massage supports seniors’ ! development of enhanced wellness.

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Multiple Benefits for seniors communities

Chair massages appeal to seniors’ growing interest in overall well-being and health, and activities to support continued independence. Through offering chair massage and its multiple benefits you can support seniors of all ages and help address their various wellness needs.

Having chair massage available on site is a unique wellness service for you to promote to current and prospective seniors in your community.

Our specially trained, certified Providers and the chair massage sessions are a professional, complementary addition to other health and wellness services at your location. Your community can host the seniors chair massage service and enjoy numerous benefits with no permanent space requirements, and with no financial or administrative demands.

You set a regular day and time block in your activities calendar that works best for seniors’ availability. We then pair one of our specially trained Providers with your location to offer weekly chair massage sessions.

We host an introductory Open House/Information Session on site to tell seniors about the chair massage sessions, describe the benefits they’ll receive, and answer any questions they may have. At the conclusion of the overview, interested seniors can sign up for a free trial chair massage that afternoon with the Provider.

We provide your location with information materials (e.g. posters, newsletter write-ups, brochures) to notify individuals about the Open House/Information Session, and the ongoing Provider visits being offered.

The Provider brings and temporarily sets up the massage chair in a small room or private common area at your location. Individuals attend their scheduled personal chair massage session in this space for 15 or 30 minutes.

Session scheduling is convenient and handled directly by individuals and their chair massage Provider. Individuals’ ongoing bookings can be made during their current massage visit or they can contact their Provider by phone.

Simple-to-use multi-session punch cards and other visit payments are handled directly by the Provider. Facility staff are not required to administer the sessions at all.

Easy Set-up at Your Location

Chair massage sessions are easy to ! set up in your seniors community

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Wellness Challenges of Seniors Benefits of Chair Massage

1. Strengthening Stability & Mobility to Prevent Falls1. Strengthening Stability & Mobility to Prevent Falls

• Falls account for 85% of injury hospitalizations for people age 65+ years.

• Having a fall is the most common fear of older adults. A fall can lead to a decline in health, function and independence, and contribute to future falls with more serious outcomes.

• Conditions like osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, poor circulation and sight problems can affect balance.

• Aging, as well as side effects from medications, can diminish reflexes and reaction times.

• Helps to reduce muscle stiffness and tension, and increase flexibility

• Works on specific muscle groups, helping increase awareness of where the body is relative to surrounding objects

• Enhances the feeling of being more stable and balanced on your feet

• Helps reduce the “fuzzy” effect that can accompany certain medications

2. Reducing Chronic Pain2. Reducing Chronic Pain

• Chronic pain affects more than one-quarter of seniors living in households and close to four out of every ten in facilities.

• Having chronic pain heightens stress and anxiety which magnifies pain.

• Many seniors reach a point where pain medications no longer provide relief.

• Chronic pain triggers a vicious cycle where the individual is unable to achieve restful, recuperative sleep. This sleep deprivation magnifies the sensation of pain.

• Targets specific pain areas - reduces muscle tension and increases blood flow to help decrease pressure and discomfort

• Reduces stress, tension and anxiety. This facilitates better sleep, which can reduce chronic pain

• Helps the central nervous system produce “feel good” hormones, such as endorphins, and reduce the stress hormone cortisol

3. Improving Circulation3. Improving Circulation

• Poor circulation is a common problem for seniors.• Poor leg circulation may result in restricted blood flow to the legs

(known as Peripheral Vascular Disease).• Seniors who complain of cold feet and numbness due to poor

circulation may be at increased risk of falling.

• Enhances blood flow which helps reduce pooling of fluid in the limbs, and warms up hands and feet.

• Helps reduce fatigue and aches from the build up of lactic acid in underutilized muscles.

• Helps to bring oxygen-rich blood to the brain which enhances mental clarity.

4. Enhancing Relaxation & Sleep4. Enhancing Relaxation & Sleep

• One out of two seniors experience sleep deprivation. • Chronic sleep deprivation compromises the immune system and

decreases a person’s resistance to infections.• The ailments associated with aging cause sleep problems (e.g.

physical disabilities, chronic pain, arthritis, respiratory problems, anxiety), not aging itself.

• Between five and ten percent of seniors suffer from anxiety.• Anxiety is brought on by the losses sustained naturally during aging

and thoughts of challenges and vulnerability from these losses.

• Decreases stress and tension.• Enhances mood, helping make the individual more

positive and resilient.• Improves sleep patterns due to reduced anxiety and pain. • Reduces inflammation and bolsters memory and alertness

(from enhanced sleep).• Creates a “massage memory” over regular visits - the

individual relaxes and experiences benefits more quickly in each subsequent session.

5. Increasing Enjoyment of Daily Activities5. Increasing Enjoyment of Daily Activities

• Less physically active seniors experience tighter muscles, and reduced flexibility and energy.

• This impacts their balance, stability and mobility, and in turn, their confidence to become fully involved with outside activities.

• Reduced involvement can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness.• Staying active is an important part of keeping well and can help delay

or prevent the onset of health complications.

• Enhances mental clarity, energy levels and endurance.• Improves postural stability, balance and flexibility.• Boosts confidence and interest to keep active and take

part in a range of activities.• Offers calming, positive human touch, and enjoyable

regular social connection with others. • Creates a heightened sense of overall wellbeing.

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Senior Wellness Chair Massage Building on Experience Chair massage was introduced in the early 1980s when Apple Computers commissioned David Palmer of San Francisco’s TouchPro Institute to provide an onsite service to help its employees effectively manage stress on the job.

Bob Hanley drew from his massage training at the Okanagan College of Massage Therapy, his Economics Degree from University of Victoria, and 14 years business experience in the investment/banking industry to establish his chair massage services in 2004. He quickly became the leading provider of workplace chair massage programs for the BC Provincial Government and technology sector in Victoria.

Building on the experience and success from his workplace services, Bob developed chair massage for seniors in 2010. The unique chair massages have received very positive response from hundreds of seniors and residence/activity centre staff. He is pleased to now offer Wellness In Hand national training courses for chair massage Providers to make a difference to many more seniors’ well-being.

The Wellness In Hand Chair Massage Certification Training Program was developed by President Bob Hanley in 2006 to ensure all providers of this unique service meet the highest standard of skills in the technical and interactive aspects of massage.

To become certified, graduates of the VitalityPlus Senior Wellness Chair Massage Training must successfully complete an in-depth online academic training module, six full classroom days, and an extensive practicum. These providers also receive specialized training for working safely with seniors and addressing their unique wellness needs.

Both the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada, and the Senior Wellness Alliance of Canada recognize the Wellness In Hand Chair Massage Certification Training Program and the certification of the seniors chair massage Providers.

All Providers have:

• Medical Malpractice and General Liability Insurance Coverage

• WorkSafe BC Coverage • Criminal Background Check

Our Chair Massage Providers

Our chair massage providers have ! nationally-recognized certifications

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What clients say...

“I saw chair massage posters and thought I’d try it. I love going each week and feel so good afterwards. My Provider gets rid of all tensions in my shoulders and neck.” - Marta, Victoria resident

“I have osteoporosis and protruding bones that can cause a lot of discomfort. My bi-weekly chair massages keep my back pain-free.”

- Anne, Vancouver resident

“I had numbness in my foot for months. After trying just one chair massage session, the numbness lessened. I now attend once a week and my numb foot is completely gone. The visits have also been helping me overcome injuries from a fall and improve my balance.”

- Len, retirement community

To get the most benefit from chair massages, how often should an individual participate? Research shows that the benefits of massage are cumulative. When an individual attends chair massage sessions on a regular basis, positive impacts on their physical and emotional well-being will carry through between sessions. To experience continuous wellness benefits and keep Providers up-to-date and responsive to needs, we recommend scheduling a 15 or 30 minute chair massage every week (with two weeks the maximum break).

Are seniors chair massages completely safe? Chair massage visits include a gentle relaxation massage using levels of pressure appropriate to the individual. This technique, the Provider’s VitalityCheck assessments of a person’s changing needs, and ongoing customizing of the massages ensures there is no risk of session pain or injury for participants. The individual is seated upright on a specially designed, padded massage chair. Providers are trained to give full attention and support to the person getting on and off the chair. Individuals can also remain with their personal mobility device and rest against a padded table-top cushion.

Are there any health conditions that would inhibit participating in a chair massage? The gentle techniques in a chair massage session are very beneficial for most individuals. There are times when the chair massage could be considered contraindicated or inappropriate for people with certain health conditions. If an individual or their family have any concerns about the suitability of a session, we encourage them to contact their primary physician and confirm that a gentle, relaxation massage would be appropriate and beneficial.

Do insurance companies cover the cost of an individual’s chair massages? For most people, their insurance will not cover chair massages. The service is paid directly by the individual to the Provider, using a multi-session punch card or a pay-as-you-go single session. In some cases, extended healthcare plans may offer coverage for “wellness-related” services. Individuals need to confirm arrangements with their insurance company and request a payment receipt if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions