295 寧按助懷安 Palliative Care

[張慧儀]

老友告知，他親身體會到，為彌留的親人做腳底按摩時，雙方都感到釋懷和安寧，親密無悔地道別。

腳底都是一個芳療施油的區域，認識腳底按摩多年，我倒沒有朝這方向想過。

當時靈光一閃 - 芳療能幫得上忙嗎？

心裡即時浮現出東方三博士朝見聖嬰的禮物 - 乳香。
這份如黃金般貴重的香薰油，已被世人沿用數千年；無論用甚麼按摩或推拿方法來搓揉身體，乳香的效益都會隨著媒介油透過皮膚直接進入血液，放鬆肌肉，舒緩痛楚；在乳香香氣的氛圍下，施者與受者均如處於冥想狀態，精神和肉體上都得以平靜放鬆。

稍後致函芳療大師和好友取經，討點經驗和智慧，編一講懷安課。

A friend shared a personal experience with me: When he gave a foot massage to his loved one who was in the final stages of a terminal illness, both of them felt relieved and bade farewell peacefully without regret.

The soles of feet are an area for applying essential oils. I have known it for many years but I have never thought about it this way.

His words triggered an idea in my mind at that moment – Can essential oils and aromatherapy massages help palliative care patients?

The first oil I saw is frankincense – a gift presented to baby Jesus by the three wise men from the Orient. This essential oil, as precious as gold, has been used around the world for thousands of years. Regardless of the style of massage, the benefits of frankincense will diffuse through the skin into the blood relaxing muscles and relieving pain. The scent can calm the mind and body of both the masseuse and the recipient of the massage to help them enter a meditative state.

I shall write to my mentors and friends to ask for their wisdom and guidance, learn from them and design a curriculum for an aromatherapy course on palliative care.

[張慧儀]

Ms. Sue Mousley 的提點：「… Perhaps as a start to your workshop introduce some background and definitions and about the uniqueness of people’s perception and beliefs in dying and care.
For hospice care/end of life I like the two oils you use plus other oils that can help with anxiety, unrest, acceptance of changes and transition to mourning, fear and skin problems etc are Bergamot, Helichrysum, Lavender High Altitude, Sweet Marjoram used either in a massage or an inhalator or in an aromapatch.
For baby loss, Rose, Geranium, Neroli, Grapefruit, Roman Chamomile but again the aromas have to be used as support in their grieving journey rather than to block it out otherwise in future pregnancies or in life in general it may generate negative emotions.」

英吉列皇家御用助產士 Ms. Mousley 給我一個非常重要的提點：原來懷安服務要面對的不單止是老年人和他的家人，還有只有數秒鐘或是數小時生命的嬰兒和他的家人，尤其是母親。

芳療師在選用香薰油時，不單須顧及香薰油的效益能否緩解家人的焦慮和不安，讓他們在香氣氛圍之下，節哀順變，還要助失去兒子的母親渡過哀傷，而不是抑壓悲痛，避免她在日常生活和將來再度懷孕時產生負面情緒。

[張慧儀]

Ms. Kanako Terauchi 的提點：「… When I hold the workshop for the Aromatherapy at the hospice, I mention about Oxytocin, which is known as peacefulness hormone, will be secreted when you are touched kindly. ...
... And, when you do aromatherapy treatment for them, the therapist should not under own stress. It is important to take care of yourself before you take care of someone. ...
... For me, horse riding is one of the tools for self-maintenance. ...
... I always try not to make a sound of my footsteps when I leave the patient’s room. It may make the patients sad if they hear your leaving. 」

好友寺內佳內子是醫院裡的義務芳療師，照顧懷安病人之餘，還會顧及醫護人員的安好。當他們疲倦或情緒低落時，為他們提供芳療按摩。

她常和女兒一同去上騎藝課，調整她在芳療之前和之後的心情。她說：「當芳療師在提供懷安服務時，不要讓自己的情緒影嚮服務質素；完成服務離開時，要盡量放輕腳步，以免病人知道我離去而感到難受。」以病人的福祉為本是芳療師應有的態度。

佳內子提及被譽為「最強腦內物質」的催產素。在她提供懷安服務時，芳療按摩會產生催產素。催產素令人有愛人與被愛的感覺，是一種預防和舒緩疾病的奇妙荷爾蒙。與我的芳療護老經驗完全吻合。

[張慧儀]

Ms. Heather Godfrey