Long-Term Care Survey Alert

Published on Wed Jan 28, 2009 PDF

Is your facility incorporating this modality in its toolkit?

Opioids remain the gold standard for treating most types of severe, ongoing pain. But best practice palliative pain management also includes non-pharmacological approaches that promote relaxation and ease spiritual distress and fear.

Case in point: Some hospice and palliative care programs have  practitioners certified in Reiki offer that modality as part of a holistic approach to care (get an overview of Reiki at  www.reiki.org/faq/WhatIsReiki.html).

As one example, Harold Bob, MD, a nursing home medical director in Baltimore, Md., incorporates Reiki in his practice with palliative care patients. "Reiki is a form of human contact that helps the patient with spiritual connection at a time when that's very important to many people," says Bob. But Reiki isn't a religion or faith, he's quick to add. Instead,

Reiki is a method with five basic principles, as follows, Bob explains:

1. I will not worry just for today.

2. I will not be angry just for today.

3. I will be grateful just for today.

4. I will work hard just for today.

5. I will give kindness and compassion just for today.

Bob has seen people experience significant pain relief from using Reiki because "their fear is alleviated."

"If you can use a modality, such as Reiki, to help a person relax and feel connected, that can ease their pain," agrees Diana Waugh, RN, BSN, a nursing consultant in Waterville, Ohio, who does work with nursing homes and hospices.