Integrative Therapy Benefits

Improves Quality of Life

There are more than 600 million visits a year between patients and alternative medicine providers in the US—and the number is growing.

You can call it alternative, complementary or integrated therapy—it is a group of diverse practices and products not considered a part of traditional Western medicine.  But whether you are a skeptic or a proponent, there is no denying that the public is looking for it. 

For those patients who want this kind of treatment, it undeniably works to improve their quality of life.  After all, a hand massage with aromatherapy and soothing music would improve most peoples’ moods and lower their blood pressure and stress.  As simple as that, quality of life is improved.

More and more hospices are adding Integrated Therapies to their armamentarium for achieving comfort and improving quality of life.  As far back as 2004 60% of hospices reported offering complementary treatments (the most popular being music therapy and massage).  The main obstacles to providing these services are lack of adequate funds, knowledge and qualified personnel.  Other Integrated Therapies include animal visits, guided imagery and art therapy.

Pathways has a robust Integrative Therapies Program that provides numerous benefits. Patients report:

• A sense of control when so much control over their lives has been lost
• Improved pain management
• Enhanced emotional wellbeing and decreased anxiety
• Opportunities to experience pleasure
• Better quality sleep and decreased fatigue
• Enrichment in their lives
• Decreased nausea and enhanced appetite

Integrative Therapies often do not lend themselves to randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials due to the very subjective nature of the discipline.  However, risk-benefit analyses demonstrate very low risk—won’t hurt, might help.

The holistic nature of hospice is a setting made for Integrative Therapies.  They have repeatedly been shown to provide physical, emotional and spiritual benefits to patients and their families.

One Patient’s Story

Advanced pancreatic cancer was Mr. B’s grim diagnosis.  A resident of a SNF, he had prognosis of a few weeks when referred to Pathways by the distressed facility.  During the admission to hospice, the patient disclosed that he was a Christian Science practitioner and was not open to using any medications to manage his rather severe symptoms.

With this limitation, Pathways quickly initiated several Integrative Therapies and held a stat inservice for the SNF staff and his family.  Hospice volunteers, personal care aides, spiritual care counselors, social workers and nurses all contributed their Integrative Therapy skills.  Mr. B received massages, aromatherapy, guided imagery, Reiki, music therapy and comfort touch.  We also involved the family, asking them to find movies, CDs and other forms of distraction that Mr. B would respond to.

Although his pain was never completely gone, the patient reported it was significantly decreased and that he noticed an improved ability to cope with the pain that remained.  Until he died about three weeks after admission, Mr. B reported that Integrative Therapies had helped manage his symptoms to a level he deemed acceptable. 

This article was originally published in Pathways Physician & Health Professional Bulletin - Issue 26.  To download this issue in PDF format, or past issues, visit our newsletter archives online at www.pathwayshealth.org/publications.

Benefits of Dogs

Healthier Living

Most people know that people who own dogs live longer, have lower blood pressure, less anxiety and better immune systems.  They also have more social interactions, Alzheimer’s patients with dogs in the home have fewer outbursts and men with dogs have lower triglycerides and cholesterol.  These are the scientific conclusions of research about family pets that can be easily found. 

But there are even more benefits and some of them are pretty astounding.  Dogs are being trained to assist in the medical field.  For instance, dogs can be trained to sniff out low blood sugar in diabetics, picking up odors beyond human capacity.  Dogs can also be taught to prod the diabetic with a cold nose, fetch a blood glucose testing equipment or press a phone button that calls 911.

It could be scent or it could be a subtle change in behavior, but some dogs are able to sense a seizure coming on as much as 30 minutes before it occurs.  This means the dog may be able to alert the person, go for help, move objects out of the way and lay down next the person during the seizure.

More and more people with post traumatic stress disorders, such as soldiers returning from war zones, are benefiting from dogs as companions because they can they can ease anxiety in a number of ways.

Dogs also have the remarkable ability to detect certain kinds of cancers.  One example is being able to reveal the presence of bladder or prostate cancer cells in urine.  Some researchers have shown that dogs can recognize lung and breast cancers by smelling the patient’s breath, and they can spot melanoma by licking a person’s skin.

A dog’s brain may be only one tenth the size of a human’s, but his nose more than makes up for it: dogs have 40 times as many scent receptors as humans.  It is truer than ever that dogs really are man’s best friend. 

References: My Health News Daily; Web MD.

This article was originally published in Pathways Residential Care Journal - Issue 4.  To download this issue in PDF format, or past issues, visit our newsletter archives online at www.pathwayshealth.org/publications.

Managing Pain Without Medication

In addition to medication for pain, there are other things we can do to reduce pain.  Usually these are used in addition to medicine or while waiting for the medicine to work.  But if a resident refuses pain medication, using these techniques may help.

Alternatives to Try

Distraction:  This is an effective technique.  It’s as though the brain can only pay attention to one thing at a time.  Talking, watching TV, playing games or looking at photo albums are some examples.  If the pain is severe, these will not work.

Deep breathing / relaxation exercises:  Guide the person in deep, slow, rhythmic breathing.  There are many relaxation recordings available that are easy to follow.  You can suggest to family members that they purchase relaxation recordings and furnish a listening device.

Cold:  A cold pack (gel pack, ice pack, or zip bag with crushed ice) helps inflammation or muscle ache.  Wrap the pack in a towel; do not put the ice pack directly on the skin.  Even if this does not relieve all pain, it may help to numb the area somewhat.

Warmth:  A warm tub bath or warm packs can relax muscles that have tightened due to pain.  A warm, wet washcloth applied directly to the affected area may help.  Covering the cloth with plastic will help retain the heat longer.

Massage: This is an excellent way to distract from pain and relax tense muscles that make the pain worse.  Lotion may reduce friction.  You do not have to massage the painful area.  Massaging another area of the body may distract the mind from pain.

Prayer / meditation: Some people find this very comforting and perceive less pain during prayer.  There may also be rites or rituals that could comfort the resident.  Ask family members about this.

Music: Music is another form of distraction that research has shown relieves pain.  It does not matter what kind of music, whatever the resident likes will work.  Again, family members can help provide information about musical tastes and recordings and a CD player.

Energy work / therapeutic touch: These are hands-on techniques in which the practitioner places his or her hands on the resident’s clothed body to achieve a transfer of energy.

Acupressure / acupuncture: These techniques apply pressure or needles to specific points on the body to relieve discomfort in other areas that are associated with those points.

Reflection / life review: Those nearing the end of life often want to reflect on the events of their lives and the people they knew.  Asking about family members or the resident’s youth or birth place may assist in starting this kind of life review.

Pets: Research shows that pets improve mood, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and may serve as a good distraction from pain.

Innovative Program at Pathways

Pathways Hospice patients can take advantage of our well developed Integrative Therapies program.  It provides innovative therapies such as guided imagery, comfort touch, music therapy, aromatherapy, massage, and pet therapy.  These therapies are shown to reduce agitation in residents.

If you are interested in learning more about the Integrative Therapies program at Pathways, talk to Pathways staff, or visit our website:  www.pathwayshealth.org.  The Resources section includes downloadable information and simple tips for incorporating Integrative Therapies in your daily life too!