A Gentle Touch…….. Therapeutic Touch® Integrated into

Hospice Palliative Care

Nancy Hall RN, BScN, TTRP

Bethell Hospice

Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Conference

Presenter Name: Nancy Hall

Relationships with commercial interests: None

2

Faculty/Presenter Disclosure

TT treatment - chakra Dora does not advocate working directly on the chakras

Always helpful to send energy to the solar plexus

Kidney adrenal – can always benefit from energy

Heart chakra is a center for higher energies and integration – it too is a center for integration

Meditation or visualization combined with changes in behaviour changes chakra pattern

Alternative - Complementary

Alternative Therapies : therapies used instead

of conventional medical treatment.

Complementary Therapies : interventions that

are used to complement, to add on to

conventional treatment

Integrative Therapies: a blend of best practices

from conventional and complementary therapies

• a gentle, energy-based technique that touches

individuals at all levels of their experience: physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual

Practitioners of Therapeutic Touch use the hands

as a focus to facilitate the healing process

Therapeutic Touch

Therapeutic Touch

• It utilizes near touch or light touch to support

and stimulate the individual’s own natural healing processes. It is equally effective with no touch

• the intention is to enable people to re-pattern their energy field toward wholeness and health thereby enhancing their own ability to self heal

The Origin of Therapeutic Touch

Dr. Dolores Krieger, PhD, RN Dora Kunz

Currently

• Taught throughout the world in colleges, universities, community venues

• Accepted practice in over 30 hospitals and LTC facilities; 20 community/residential hospices, as well as community agencies, churches, schools

• College of Nurses of On. and College of Physicians and Surgeons of On. have policies guiding the use of complementary/alternative therapies

Research 1975 Effect of Therapeutic Touch on hemoglobin levels, The American Journal of Nursing •2003 Large CQI clinical study showed value of a therapeutic touch program – comfort, calmness, well being •2007 Twenty years of Therapeutic Touch in a Canadian Cancer Agency. Support Care Cancer

•2008 Therapeutic Touch Affects DNA Synthesis and Mineralization of Human Osteoblasts in Culture, Journal of Orthapaedic Research

Assumptions

• Everything in the universe is energy • When we are healthy, the energy flows freely in through and out • With illness or injury the energy field is changed • The ability to heal is innate in all living things • Therapeutic Touch enhances our natural healing ability

Scenarios

Mickey

mother, grandmother, active volunteer

At 70 lost her husband and then her kidney fn

16 year trajectory of health challenges

Soloman

Father, brother, spouse,

Last hours at hospice, family all present

Many intervention to manage pain, dyspnea

Persistent restlessness,

Scenarios

Marie Helen

34, living with hsb, 2 young children

Recent diagnosis of lymphoma

Focusing on children, job, denial?

Rosemary

61, living with hsb

Chemo tx for breast cancer q 3 weeks

End of every week 2 to hosp for antibiotics

delays next tx

Demonstration

Effects of Therapeutic Touch

Promotes a deep relaxation response

Eases anxiety and stress Manages pain and other symptoms

Improves sleep Fosters a sense of well-being

Reduces the sense of isolation

Supports self care and work life balance

Resources

Therapeutic Touch Network of Ontario TTNO

www.therapeutictouch.org

Therapeutic Network of Canada TTNC

http://ttnc.ca

Therapeutic Touch Basics taught in Level 1,2,3

Recognized Practitioner

Recognized Teacher

Complementary Therapies Standards

http://www.hpco.ca/publications/

www.therapeutictouch.org

Hospice Palliative Care aims to:

• relieve suffering

• improve the quality of living and dying

• Address physical, psychological, social, spiritual, practical issues

• enhance personal, spiritual growth and self-actualization

Therapeutic Touch: • promotes relaxation and eases stress • helps manage pain and

other symptoms • fosters sense of well-being

• focuses on restoring

balance in all aspects of the human energy field: body, mind, emotions and spirit

• offers opportunities for self growth

CHPCA Conference September 2017

Presenter Name: Nancy Hall

Relationships with commercial interests:

“NOT APPLICABLE”