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Comforting Touch in Dementia and End of Life Care

Comforting Touch in Dementia and End of Life Care

Take My Hand

Barbara Goldschmidt and Niamh van Meines
Illustrated by James Goldschmidt

Published by Singing Dragon

Paperback: £15.99 / $24.95

2011, 234mm x 156mm / 9.25in x 6in, 208pp
ISBN: 978-1-84819-073-3, BIC 2: VXH VFMS JKSG MQCL9

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*Highly Commended in the Popular Medicine category at the 2012 British Medical Association Book Awards*

The simple sensation of touching someone's hand can have a powerful therapeutic effect. Hand massage is a positive and meaningful way of reaching out and providing comfort to those who are elderly, ill or nearing the end of life, and it can be particularly effective for people with dementia who may respond well to positive non-verbal interaction.

This book offers inspiration for all caregivers looking for an alternative way to support and connect with a family member, friend or patient in their care. It teaches an easy 30 minute hand massage sequence and offers clear instructions and detailed illustrations to guide the reader through each step. Combining light massage strokes with focused awareness, and paying close attention to points on energy pathways, this book introduces a structured way of sharing touch that is grounded in Western and Eastern massage traditions.

Gentle touch therapy is ideal for healthcare professionals and family members alike, and has been shown to have physical and emotional benefits for both the giver and the receiver.

Blog posts

A celebratory evening at the 2012 BMA Medical Book & Patient Information Awards

14 September 2012

The impressive BMA House in Tavistock Square, London, served as an excellent backdrop to an illuminating ceremony last night for the 2012 BMA Medical Book and Patient Information Awards. We are thrilled to announce that first prize in the Health and Social Care category was awarded to the JKP title, Risk Assessment and Management for...

Compassionate care through touch – An interview with Niamh van Meines

25 November 2011

"Touch is one of the most fundamental ways to offer support and caring and is often underestimated or disregarded in healthcare settings... A hand massage is a wonderful, easy introduction to using touch. From a caregiver's perspective, they often feel disconnected from the person who is ill or weary of touching them, so it's a wonderful way to approach the ill person and provide care in a manner that is satisfying to the ill person and to the caregiver, and safe."

Touch as a way to share the radiant energy of care

24 November 2011

"It was an exciting time, because it felt like a real movement in personal well-being was taking place. It wasn’t being led by doctors, but by ordinary people who were looking for more than symptom relief. They wanted therapies that were natural and non-toxic, and a way to be involved in the healing process. That was a key—becoming an active participant in wellness and illness instead of being a passive recipient of care. The quest for ways to be involved in the healing process, and for tangible ways to share it, became the continuing thread of my studies, writing and teaching."