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My mother has tension headaches at the base of her neck; neurologist has recommended that PT do some loosening of her muscles there, but my mother longs for a massage of the sort she used to get. I'm wondering if anyone has been able to find a person to do chair massage in a facility and how you went about it.

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Talk to the nursing staff, they may have a list of massage therapists that have been approved, that means they showed proof of license and insurance and have a written agreement with the facility.
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There are nursing homes with PTs on staff, and I have no idea where you live, but check with the board who licenses physical therapists to find one. Is there any reason why she can't go outside to a place like Massage Envy and get a massage? I love massages. Chinese acupuncture will help with the headaches as well as FDA-approved onabotulismtoxinA for migraines and Medicare pays for those. Good luck!
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You could try Craig's list. I would ask for some references, though.
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If you use Craigslist you could also get a pedophile or murderer, and I don't know of any reputable physical therapists who advertise on Craigslist. What were you thinking Chicago1954?
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As a certified Massage Therapist I would NOT recommend a chair massage unless your mother is more coordinated than anyone I have seen in their elderly years. Maneuvering around to sit in a Massage chair is difficult and could be dangerous. Unless you are asking for you mother to remain in her chair while having an upper body massage.
My personal recommendation would be to ask for a shiatsu massage where she can remain clothed if she chooses while laying down or sitting in her chair. Please don't ask for a deep tissue massage as this could do more damage than good. If the massage therapist know trigger therapy that would be awesome.
pstiegman is correct to check with the facility first. I would not go to Massage Envy for a Therapeutic massage.
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An actual massage chair --- like the ones from Inada and other manufacturers could be great.....and available whenever the patient wished to sit in it and turn it on!
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Look in your nearest big city phone book or online for your area: look under "massage therapists".
You can also , IF there is a Massage school near the facility, check with them, to find perhaps, students who need practice hours; a number of them will have chosen to use a chair instead of a table.
There are also those who are willing and able to do the massage as the person is in their bed, if movement/transfers is a problem, or who will do special hand and or foot massage.

The cautions for frail elders in facilities is, they often need gentle care, special positioning that prevents good access for certain therapeutic modalities, that students may not be ready to handle.

Screening: be sure to specify that this is for elder, and then ask if they can come to the person in a Facility--AFTER checking if the Facility has any objection to that arrangement--or what rules they have regarding it.

What a wonderful thing to have for elders!
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Thank you all for your suggestions. I was thinking of a massage therapist who can do therapeautic neck/upper back massage while remains seated in her wheelchair. She will not use vibrating chairs or cushions as she was told many years ago that these are contraindicated for people who've had cancer. I have no way of knowing if that's accurate or not, but that's her story. Merry Christmas!
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CAn't imagine why a vibrating cushion or chair might be contraindicated in cases of cancer--unless person saying that was thinking vibration might cause an active tumor to spread---that is NOT the case in a survivor--a person who's had tumor removed, or killed off.

Things that increase circulation HELP, more often than harm.
Gee--I guess I would really not want to apply vibration tools to...um...a limb that has a tourniquet on it? Or on a venomous bite?
[sorry--tongue firmly in cheek here...;-]

I've also had people caution against massage for those with Fibromyalgia--which sounded rather twisted---those with Fibromyalgia absolutely get relief from muscle spasms by getting proper therapeutic massage, and those vibrating pads, chairs and pillows can also help, some.
But those vibrating things are not nearly as helpful as a real therapeutic massage.
That seems a champ idea!
Merry Christmas!
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Chimonger, I never really got the anti vibration thing either but my mom has never been long on logic. Gonna work on finding a massage therapist this week.
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You can try massamio and look for a mobile massage provider (onsite massage provider) who specializes in geriatric/senior massage.
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