Remember the person: Bowen for Alzheimer’s Awareness Week

Alzheimer’s Awareness Week

Alzheimer’s Awareness Week commenced on Sunday 20th May; 7 days dedicated to an illness that was the focus of government earlier this year.

In March, David Cameron announced that he was doubling the funding for dementia research to £66m, however some believe there is still a long way to go.

Former GMTV host, Fiona Phillips, lost both her mum and dad to Alzheimer’s and is fearful that she is likely to inherit the disease.

Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia where a person sees a gradual decline in their memory, communication and reasoning.

The symptoms get progressively worse, meaning eventually a sufferer is completely reliant upon their care giver.

As our life expectancy increases, so do the number of cases of Alzheimer’s. It’s estimated that 1 in 85 people will have the disease in 2050.

Alzheimer’s is a terrible illness regarding the mental decay of a person and it is often presumed that sufferers don’t feel pain as sharply as those without the disease.

However, this is not the case. Often, older people with Alzheimer’s aren’t given as many painkillers as their peers and they find it difficult to talk about their pain, yet that doesn’t mean it’s not there. 

The Bowen Technique is a natural, drug-free, non-invasive, complementary therapy that can be a gentle yet effective release of pain.

Rather than 'making' the body change, Bowen 'asks' the body to recognise the ailment and make the changes it requires. It works ‘with’ the body as opposed to ‘against’ it.

During the 30-60 minute treatment, the Bowen practitioner makes small, rolling, movements over muscles, tendons, ligaments and soft tissue at precise points on the body, using only the amount of pressure appropriate for that individual.

No hard-tissue manipulation or force is needed or used.

Between each set of moves, the body is allowed to rest for a few minutes, to allow it to absorb the information it has received and initiate the healing process.

Bowen is an extremely relaxing experience and is also very effective for stress management and frustration for an Alzheimer’s sufferer.

If you are caring for somebody with Alzheimer’s and are interested in how Bowen Therapy can help with physical or mental stress visit the website to find a Bowen therapist near you or call 0844 561 7173.