Receiving soothing massages for eight weeks after the death of a loved one can provide much-needed consolation during an intense, stressful period of grieving, according to a study in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
Eighteen people who had lost a relative to cancer took part in the study. Participants ranged from 34 to 78 years of age and included widows, widowers, daughters and sisters. Nine chose foot massage, eight chose hand massage and one asked for both. Only three had previous experience of soft-tissue massage.
“Details about the massage study were included in an information pack provided by the palliative care team when people’s relatives died” says lead author Dr. Berit S. Cronfalk from the Stockholms Sjukhem Foundation, a Swedish palliative care provider.
Relatives were offered a 25-minute hand or foot massage once a week for eight weeks and could choose whether the sessions took place at home, work or at the hospital.
“Soft tissue massage is gentle, but firm” explains Dr Cronfalk, who carried out the research with colleagues from the Karolinska Institutet. “This activates touch receptors which then release oxytocin, a hormone known for its positive effects on well-being and relaxation.
“In this study the hand or foot massage was done with slow strokes, light pressure and circling movements using oil lightly scented with citrus or hawthorn.
“The relatives were then encouraged to relax for a further 30 minutes.”
Baseline data was collected on the participants during a 60-minute interview before the program started and a further 60-minute interview was conducted a week after the massage program finished.
The interviews with the participants, which have been published in the Journal’s annual complementary therapy issue, showed that they derived considerable benefits from the program.
“The massages provide physical touch and closeness and helped to diminish the feelings of empty space and loneliness that people felt,” Cronfalk said. “Study participants also told us that the massages helped them to balance the need to grieve and the need to adapt to life after the loss of their relative.”