Oh Jett, I feel for the heaviness of this decision, and the huge grief you must be going through… having invested so much love and work and money into your own place, your wonderful therapists who were not just independent contractors but employees… I’m so sorry for you and can just wish you all the very best and hope that some sense of possibility, of life moving forward in spite of all this hardship, can be there for you, too. (Even if you can’t see it quite yet. We can only ever be with what is there for us, in us, can’t we.) All the best, Jett. A bow of respect to the care you took in coming to these hard decisions.

Naomi, I really feel for you. I think I know that sinking feeling that you speak of, your body letting you know something needs attention, awareness, and at least turning toward with interest and curiosity… in my experience our very own bodies are a wealth of wisdom, of knowing, moment to moment for us… even if just in telling us –like your body seems to be doing for you– to tread carefully, or to wait, that something doesn’t add up, or something isn’t quite right as is…

You say, “who am I to decide who is healthy or not. That’s not my scope of practice.” That right there, speaks to the heart of what we are taking upon ourselves if we do decide to practice at this time, given what we know, and given all that is unknown.

Wow, Michele, I really feel for you. I would agree with your caution about providing massage in nursing homes until we know more, much more, about the transmission of this virus. Especially since nursing homes have been such a hot bed for transmission in our country. At the very very least I’d be concerned for your own safety, as a senior yourself, working in intimate contact with seniors in nursing homes. I recommend to you the FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/covidandmassage/ — I’ve found them super helpful in sharing info as we learn it, keeping our finger on the pulse of science findings as they relate to covid-19, and also just plain and simple support and community for people in our profession.

I feel your pain. I have closed the business I built from the ground up over the last 20 years. I had 7 treatment rooms and 25 phenomenal LMTs working along side me. They were all w2 employees and thus qualified for unemployment. However, my LL would not work with me on rent abatement and offered me out of the lease. I am feeling both thankful and anger over that. I had rented from him since 2013 and not once been late on rent. Last year I expanded and spent 100k on the construction and new hydrolic tables and other furnishings. Money that was willed to me by my parents. But at least I do not have to make the hard choices other people are having to make. I will not go back to treatment until I can do so safely. And yes I know that there is always a risk under our work conditions but this virus is so tricky I do not feel that I can function until we know more definitively how to mitigate the risks.

I am choosing to open for the healthy person in July, but who am I to decide who is healthy or not. That’s not my scope of practice. ( Clients that have already booked are dental hygienist, Dietician, a retired fire fighter, and some nurses. )

I’ll adhere to all quidelines but still the sinking feeling that I may be doing harm eats away each day as my opening date creeps closer.

I feel I’m ignoring the scientific data and I feel pressured by clients to open as early as when phase 2 started 6/8.

I’m not alone in opening in July. I know I’m not alone in my fear of opening anyway.

Just wanted to add my thoughts. Thank you!

I commend you in writing this well written letter. I am at a loss for words as I know that you and most massage therapists are overwhelmed by the current discussion of being back to work as massage therapists. I have a specialty in oncology massage in addition to many other modalities. I am a senior myself. A healthy senior at that and I have been working at a nursing home this past year. I am not back to work yet, but the nursing home has contacted me to let me know that if I want to return to work I would have to do two very brief trainings. So I went for the first training which lasted about 30 minutes. An infectious disease nurse specialist gave the training. She showed us how to put on a mask, (not a N95 just any mask). Then she showed us how to wash hands. That was the end of the training.
It is appalling how this is being handled. I have tried and tried to contact anyone who could tell me if there have been any recommendations placed on nursing homes who offer massage therapy to perhaps forgo having that service provided now until we
have more experience with where this virus is going. I have not been able to get anyone to answer the question should massage therapy be taking place in a nursing home?
I thank you once again, and would welcome any feedback.
Sincerely,
Michele Bouchard