Several animal behavioral studies have been done which show conclusively that animals deprived of touch with their own kind or from humans develop serious emotional and adaptational difficulties.

Similarly, infants, the most outstanding example of which was in Romania, suffered terrible effects of lack of touch. Sometimes even resulting in death. Massage of prematurely born infants and abandoned babies has quantitatively been verified to improve the health and mental well being by large percentage points.

What does this have to do with massage for the elderly? Same principle. Many elderly people no longer have mates, children or any family that communicate with touch. Massage therapy can fill, to a least some degree, that void. We all have the very real human need for touch.

Many elderly (and not so elderly) suffer from joint pain, loss of flexibility, different forms of arthritis, osteoporosis, scoliosis, kyphosis, edema and a host of other effects of aging or disease that can be helped by massage. Note: Always get your doctor's permission before contacting a massage thrapist for treatment. There are some conditions in which massage therapy should not be used.

That said, Natural Kneads has several clients over the age of 70 and even one young lady over 90 years old. Massage therapy can help improve the quality of life no matter what your age might be.

Give us a call, maybe we can help.