|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
News & Announcements
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Heart Touch™ Story
In 1995, Shawnee Isaac Smith's very good friend and fellow body worker, was dying of a terminal illness - AIDS. All of his friends refused to touch or even visit him. Shawnee began to provide him with weekly massage sessions. Just to be touched, he told her, made him feel human again. Most massage therapists were unwilling to touch people with AIDS for fear of contracting the virus. Shawnee, through massage, found a way to comfort her friend during the greatest struggle of his life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Heart Touch™ Mission
The Heart Touch Project is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the training and delivery of compassionate and healing touch to homebound or hospitalized, men, women and children.
|
|
|
|
 Heart Touch™ Children's Program
When children become ill it is often hard for them to understand that painful procedures are a necessary part of making them better or alleviating their suffering.
Providing massage in hospitals is a way for children to have a positive touch experience during their hospital stay. Currently, Heart Touch™ volunteers are massaging infants and children who are terminally ill and in hospice care.
|
|
|
|
 Heart Touch™ Seniors Program
In our society we're all so afraid of growing old, and what we're afraid of we don't want to see - so the seniors are another population that's very isolated and alone in the final stages of their life.
Our programs in senior homes throughout Los Angeles touch the lives of elderly people who can no longer get out on their own. Many of the seniors have no family and our volunteers are their only guests. Our seniors range in age from 65-102 years old and they cope with a variety of health challenges. Beyond the physical benefits, the elderly who receive massage through The Heart Touch™ Project, experience the benefit of companionship.
|
|
|
|
 Heart Touch™ Chronic Disease Care Program
Heart Touch™ was founded as a means of training massage therapists to serve AIDS patients to help alleviate some of their isolation and suffering.
The Heart Touch™ Project educates therapists about AIDS and the role of massage in caring for the sick and dying.
|
|
|
|
 Heart Touch™ Hospice Care Program
Hospice Care is considered to be the model for quality, compassionate care for men, women and children facing a life-limiting illness.
At the center of hospice and palliative care is the belief that each of us has the right to die pain-free and with dignity, and that our families will receive the necessary support to allow us to do so.
|
|
|
|
 Heart Touch™ Domestic Abuse Program
Domestic and child abuse has reached epidemic proportions in the United States.
Demonstrating safe and compassionate touch can be the turning point in a child's life. Providing children with healthy role models and helping them to understand the difference between good and bad types of touch with the support of their mothers was our inspiration for creating this program.
 Heart Touch™ International Volunteers arrive back from a successful trip touching hearts in Thailand
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Heart Touch™ International
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
![Childrens Hospital Los AngelesServes children and adolescents by integrating medical care, preventive services, medical education, and research. [California]](../assets/images/chla-logo.jpg "Childrens Hospital Los AngelesServes children and adolescents by integrating medical care, preventive services, medical education, and research. [California]"){kind=logo}
![[USA] A not-for-profit organization serving members in several states.](../assets/images/kaiser.jpg "[USA] A not-for-profit organization serving members in several states."){kind=small}
