Increase Comfort and Quality of Life
Medical research shows that complementary therapies can be instrumental in relieving stress, decreasing pain, and adding quality to one's life.
All Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care complementary therapies are administered by licensed therapists and specially trained volunteers. Some therapies are offered to patients in their homes, or in long-term care and assisted living facilities as well as Pikes Peak Hospice’s Inpatient Unit at Penrose Hospital. Hospice professionals guide patients in making informed decisions about their care and incorporating complementary therapies as part of a comprehensive plan of care.
Our Therapies
Aromatherapy
Our Aromatherapy Volunteers provide comfort to patients and their families by using our specially created blended oils to soothe and relax patients. Aromatherapy stimulates the body’s own natural healing abilities, encompasses the whole person, and is individualized for each patient. Studies have shown that aromas can produce a wide range of effects and can be of great benefit to physical and psychological health.
Healing Touch Therapy
Healing Touch Therapy Volunteers deliver hand and foot massage with the use of blended essential oils. Our trained volunteers offer the physical and emotional benefits of human touch which has been shown to decrease anxiety, agitation, pain, and joint stiffness. Healing Touch Therapy can improve a patient’s quality of life by increasing overall relaxation and well-being.
Music Therapy
Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship with a board-certified Music Therapist. Music therapy decreases feelings of isolation and provides a sense of familiarity and comfort. It helps individuals maintain a sense of control through decision-making about most musical aspects of the session. The associations and feelings evoked by music can facilitate reminiscence and life review. Music can create a connection with one’s history, one’s faith, one’s unconscious.
Reiki
Our Reiki Practitioner Volunteers use empathy, compassion, and knowledge of this unique form of touch therapy to create a deeper sense of well-being through reducing stress, easing post-traumatic stress, and alleviating pain.
Soothing Sounds Music
Our Soothing Sounds Volunteers are local musicians and singers who use their talent to create a joyful, calming musical environment for patients and their loved ones. The program includes guitarists, pianists, harpists, and a singing group named the Pikes Peak Threshold Singers.
Pet Therapy
Pet Therapy, also known as animal-assisted therapy, in the hospice setting uses the natural bond between humans and animals to provide comfort, peace, and soothing companionship. Our program matches certified pet therapy animals and their handlers with patients and offers one-on-one interactions.