Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
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Pilot Testing a Massage Intervention for Rural Caregivers
Authors:
Virginia M. Conley, PhD, APRN, CS
Assistant Professor, Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing
University of Wyoming
Dept. 3069
1000 E. University Ave
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: 307-766-3906
Fax: 307-766-4294
vconley@uwyo.edu
Diane A. Kempson, MSW, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work
University of Wyoming
Dept. 3632
1000 E. University Ave
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: 307-766-2516
Fax: 307-766-6839
dkempson@uwyo.edu
Background and Context
Providing care for chronically ill family members is stressful and
demanding and negatively impacts all aspects--physical, social,
emotional, and financial--of a family caregiver’s quality of life
(McMillan 1996). Caregivers of chronically ill rural-dwelling persons
experience additional burden because of the limited availability of
formal services (Buehler & Lee, 1992) and because of personal
characteristics such as self reliance, a distrust of “outsiders” and a
preference for help from friends and relatives rather than through
formal channels (Bushy 2000; Long & Weinert 1989). Research
indicates that rural-dwelling caregivers who are able to “do for” in
addition to “be with” their family members assign positive meaning
to their caregiving experience (Enyert & Burman 1999), which has
important consequences for their health and well-being.
Massage therapy can yield reciprocal benefits to both the recipient
and provider. For the recipient, massage reduces pain, stress, and
anxiety and positively affects despair, depersonalization and
somatization (Ferrell-Torry & Glick 1993; Field et al. 1992; Fraser &
Kerr 1993; Groer et al. 1994; Kempson 2000; MacDonald 1995;
van der Riet 1993). For the provider, it lowers stress hormone
(salivary cortisol) levels and lessens anxiety and depression (Field
et al. 1998).
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