Far North Healing Hands

08/31/2022

08/29/2022

For those who have reached out the past two years asking if or when l will be returning to work; THANK YOU!

My husband Gary died of lung cancer on July 8th. I haven’t made any definite decisions about starting up the mobile clinic again as I was depending on Gary doing most of the mechanical work and assisting with the administrative aspects before Covid and then his health kept me from working. For now our son William and I are trying to settle his estate and work through the healing process.

If you knew Gary or just want to show us your support please join us this Saturday Sept. 3.
You can bring you favorite dish for the potluck or choose among Gar’s favorites red meat, liver, crab, potatoes, potato salad, bean soup, fried chicken, rotisserie chicken, chicken gizzards, deviled eggs, Jell-O and cherry “virgin” pie. He was also a big fan of Hostess cupcakes and Snowballs, York peppermint patties, M&Ms, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

06/02/2020

Hand washing basin attempt #2. If this one works I’ll be open by the end of the week.

05/29/2020

Light at the end of the tunnel.🔦 Making progress on the hand washing station. We really hoped this was it but, I pushed the knife a smidge too far cutting the hole in the tub so the the drain won’t seal. Since I have to cut such a large section out of one end we’re going to look for a stronger plastic tub the same size. At least Gary got a clean installation of the hot water tank supports. We do know I will be able to open soon!

05/21/2020

Can you guess what we’re working on to help me get open for business again?

05/14/2020

My reopening is being delayed as I wait for delivery of equipment and have to redesign the hand washing station and fit new cabinets or containers to meet some of the requirements into a very small space. When this Covid 19 first started I was proactive in shutting down for a thorough cleaning and to take advantage of people’s new awareness of the importance of and how to prevent the spread of infectious diseases to make permanent changes in my procedures. In some ways I was way ahead of the new and likely temporary requirements. We have to change the location and design of the onboard hand washing station we had designed as well as make room for closed storage for client’s things, trash and all of my supplies. Even though most of the current requirements will be temporary they are good practice all the time so for Far North Healing Hands they will be permanent with some sush as masks and gloves implemented as needed once the restrictions are lifted. As always yours and mine health is my primary concern.

05/05/2020

Unfortunately I regret that I and many other massage therapists are still unable to open for business at this time. I am selling gift certificates and packages for when I am able to open. Call (907) 775-0862 to purchase or if you have questions about information in this post.

This is due to some extremely stringent Covid 19 related guidelines from professional massage organizations/insurance carriers that far exceed state mandates and even some surgical protocols. This may change when we get clear guidelines from our state massage board which is waiting on approval from multiple government agencies.

At this time the AK state Board of Massage Therapists recommends We DO NOT RETURN TO WORK.

As many of you know some LMTs have returned to work. Some of them may be covered through an employer's ( chiropractor, PT, ect. ) insurance that covers every type of care provided in their business and has not set different standards for LMTs who typically have greater exposure due to one hour or more of close personal contact in a poorly or non-ventilated room. Those who are self employed are likely not in compliance with industry guidelines and ethics and therefor may be without proper insurance and possibly putting their professional license at risk.

Some of you do NEED massage to recover from injuries, maintain mobility or help manage debilitating pain. Please do seek care! Keep in mind the statements below and discuss with the licensed massage therapist any concerns you have. Don't avoid NEEDED care out of fear. While Covid 19 is currently of primary concern I urge you to keep in mind the many other infectious diseased also commonly spread that are dangerous to those who are young children, elderly or have underlying health concerns. That is likely most people you know. Be sure you understand and are comfortable with their policies and compliance and insurance so that you feel good coming out knowing you made a fully informed decision.

CURRENT MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS per mandate 15

1. Table, face cradle, chair and all points of contact such as door handles, hand rails, tissue boxes, product containers, counters for clients and LMT sanitized between each session. most surfaces must remain wet with the disinfectant for at least 5-10 minutes for sanitization to occur.
2. LMT must were a surgical face mask. Client/patient must wear at least a cloth mask at all times! If you can't breath through it in a prone (face down) position ask your MT for side lying massage work. ( You might want to discuss side lying massage before scheduling your appointment. )
3. Prescreening- telephonic prior to arrival and again with a body temperature check at arrival for your appointment and before entering the business.
4. Well ventilated room! open window or air filtration device. A regular fan alone doesn't meet this requirement.
5. LMT and client/patient must wash their hands directly before and after the massage.
6. A statement of risk mitigation procedures must be posted at point of entry. including how they will handle notifications of exposure.

Take care & stay healthy!

Starla Brewer
Far North Healing Hands - Mobile massage.

04/22/2020

We’re still working. Differently and unpaid.

04/21/2020

As many of you know I am planning to open May 4th according to state mandate 15 for client care that can’t wait 8 weeks without significant impact on quality of life. This is the standard ALL massage therapists in Alaska must follow until further notice! There have been many questions about what that means and who qualifies. Basically it boils down to how much is your pain interfering with your daily activity or if it’s an injury as in the example below, will it resolve without care and without becoming a chronic condition or resulting in further injuries. In the example below the pain was increasing and compensation injuries were starting to occur. Eventually he would have adapted. His body would have gotten used to the pain and continued creating new compensation injuries in a progression decreasing his mobility and overall health. This is not something that could wait eight weeks.

I am without paid work but, my husband was kind enough to provide me an opportunity to exercise my skills and be a perfect example of the type of care mandate 15 allows in healthcare. A couple weeks ago he was working on our son’s truck and kept his leg pressed against the bumper for extended periods of time while leaning into the engine compartment. He had a scrape below his knee that was taken care of with antibiotic salve and healed within a couple days. As the days went on the lateral ( outside )side of his leg below his knee became increasingly painful but, he did say and wouldn’t do anything about it until the pain radiated to his ankle and was making it nearly unbearable to walk and preventing a good night sleep this past weekend. After one 30 min. session with me he experienced an immediate 20% reduction in pain, the heat in the point of injury dissipated and he had fewer interruptions in sleep. We did a second session the next evening after which the pain in his leg is nearly completely gone with the pain in his ankle at 3 of 10 and he was able to sleep through the night.

To schedule an appointment or ask specific questions call or text me at 775-0862.

04/16/2020

😷As many of you know a new mandate was issued yesterday allowing for some non emergency medical care in two phases beginning April 20, 2020 and more on May 4, 2020.

Does this include massage?
While massage therapists are included in the list allowed to begin this coming Monday 4/20/2020 there are several requirements that must be met and some confusion. Some believe we’re in the May 4 group. The three most critical and difficult requirements for massage therapists to manage are PPE, good ventilation and minimizing close contact. Many claim we can’t effectively minimize close contact because they think massage can only be done by skin on skin contact. This is not true! Tuina is different and often far more effective. Most of my work is done through clothing and draping with several hand techniques and sometimes tools.
1. PPE: providers must wear gloves🧤, mask😷 and eye protection🥽. There is some confusion as to the types of masks we can wear; surgical vs. cloth. Under PPE requirements “surgical masks” are specified. Currently I am lacking only surgical masks.
2. Ventilation💨: often massage rooms have poor to no ventilation. With my mobile clinic🚌 this is not an issue. I have multiple windows that open, a roof vent and fans for a variety of options. I also have a heater that can keep the space at very comfortable temperature this time of year with the open ventilation.
3. Minimizing close contact: This is a tough one! Unlike most modalities Tuina massage techniques do not require skin to skin contact. Typically my clients remain fully clothed and often are draped with a towel, sheet or blanket in addition to their clothing. This is however still considered close contact but, is mitigated by the layers, ventilation and PPE.

I have already announced in a previous post steps I am taking to protect all of us not only during the Covid-19 pandemic but, going forward as well. Most of these changes will be permanent and pertain to every session🧼. A few will be based on a client’s individual needs or during times of a disease outbreak such as flu season🤒

I have heard there may be an update or clarification to this mandate that will continue to exclude massage therapy from allowed services. At this time I am planning to reopen on May 4 only for TuiNa massage unless the state of AK says differently. There will be two client screenings one via phone and one before clients enter the mobile clinic that will include a temperature check. I will only book 3 one hour sessions per day for clients that need “care that cannot be postponed 8 weeks without significant risk to quality of life.

If you have any questions about the benefits of Tuina, protective protocols or want to book an appointment please call or text me (907)775-0862

Read the current mandate here. https://covid19.alaska.gov/health-mandates/

Stay safe and tuned in!
Starla