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Elder retired volunteers benefit from giving massage therapy to infants

Publication ,  Journal Article
Field, TM; Hernandez-Reif, M; Quintino, O; Schanberg, S; Kuhn, C
Published in: Journal of Applied Gerontology
January 1, 1998

This exploratory within-subjects study compared the effects of elder reared volunteers giving massage to infants with receiving massage themselves. Three times a week for 3 weeks, 10 elder volunteers (8 females, mean age = 70 years) received Swedish massage sessions. For another 3 weeks, three times per week, the same elderly volunteers massaged infants at a nursery school. Receiving massage first versus giving massage first was counterbalanced across subjects. Immediately after the first- and last-day sessions of giving massages, the elder retired volunteers had less anxiety and depression and lower stress hormones (salivary cortisol) levels Over the 3-week period depression and catecholamines (norepinephrine and epinephrine) decreased and lifestyle and health improved. These effects were not as strong for the 3-week period when they received massage, possibly because the elder retired volunteers initially felt awkward about being massaged and because they derived more satisfaction massaging the infants.

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Published In

Journal of Applied Gerontology

DOI

ISSN

0733-4648

Publication Date

January 1, 1998

Volume

17

Issue

2

Start / End Page

229 / 239

Related Subject Headings

  • Gerontology
  • 52 Psychology
  • 42 Health sciences
  • 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences
 

Citation

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Field, T. M., Hernandez-Reif, M., Quintino, O., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (1998). Elder retired volunteers benefit from giving massage therapy to infants. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 17(2), 229–239. https://doi.org/10.1177/073346489801700210
Field, T. M., M. Hernandez-Reif, O. Quintino, S. Schanberg, and C. Kuhn. “Elder retired volunteers benefit from giving massage therapy to infants.” Journal of Applied Gerontology 17, no. 2 (January 1, 1998): 229–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/073346489801700210.
Field TM, Hernandez-Reif M, Quintino O, Schanberg S, Kuhn C. Elder retired volunteers benefit from giving massage therapy to infants. Journal of Applied Gerontology. 1998 Jan 1;17(2):229–39.
Field, T. M., et al. “Elder retired volunteers benefit from giving massage therapy to infants.” Journal of Applied Gerontology, vol. 17, no. 2, Jan. 1998, pp. 229–39. Scopus, doi:10.1177/073346489801700210.
Field TM, Hernandez-Reif M, Quintino O, Schanberg S, Kuhn C. Elder retired volunteers benefit from giving massage therapy to infants. Journal of Applied Gerontology. 1998 Jan 1;17(2):229–239.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of Applied Gerontology

DOI

ISSN

0733-4648

Publication Date

January 1, 1998

Volume

17

Issue

2

Start / End Page

229 / 239

Related Subject Headings

  • Gerontology
  • 52 Psychology
  • 42 Health sciences
  • 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences