There is no reason why you cannot treat clients with cancer at your spa. We can all agree that someone going through a condition like this deserves pampering more than most. However, a lot of spa therapists are worried about treating cancer patients. They may refuse treatment due to insurance issues or incorrect knowledge. Nevertheless, a little bit of knowledge can go a long way, meaning you can open your doors to individuals who are recovering from cancer or have recently been diagnosed with the illness. After all, we all want to create inclusive spa environments, providing treatment for people when they need it the most. With that being said, read on to discover everything you need to know about treating clients with cancer at your spa.
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Some massage therapists have refused to treat cancer patients because they believe the myth that massages spread cancerous cells. This is one of the most common pieces of misinformation and has been shared on the internet in various forums, as well as on social media. However, there is no evidence to support that this is, in fact, the case. On the flip side, there is research on how cancer does change the way the body reacts to different products. What this means is that some treatments will need to be adapted when being provided to someone with cancer. As mentioned in the introduction, all it really takes is a little bit of knowledge to adapt your spa so that cancer patients can be treated as well.
While you can adapt some of your treatments for cancer patients, and we will reveal more about that next, there are some treatments that you simply won’t be able to deliver to a cancer patient. It is, therefore, imperative that you have a full understanding of which treatments are simply off-limits. For example, you cannot provide any sort of treatment that involves temperature extremes, such as steam rooms, saunas, or cold baths. This is imperative in terms of protecting the skin and preventing lymphoedema. Furthermore, any treatments that involve a high chemical usage, with tanning treatments being a prime example, must also be avoided.
For the treatments that are permitted, you will need to provide treatment packages accordingly. As mentioned, you will need to tweak your offering to suit the patient. For instance, aromatherapy and massages can be altered to only incorporate natural skincare items, which is a must for patients who have had radiotherapy, as their skin is going to be sensitive. Reflexology is another complementary therapy that you can tweak to suit people with cancer, as therapists can use much lower pressure in any areas that are sensitive.
As per the BABTAC, it is a necessity for therapists to have appropriate CPD training and a recognised qualification should they wish to carry out treatments. Therefore, if you want to offer treatments to individuals with cancer, the person who is going to be treating them will need to have accredited oncology/cancer-specific CPD training. The Complementary Medical Association accredits the Cancer Touch Therapy™ course, making this a good choice. It is also approved by CIBTAC and BABTAC, and it makes sure course members understand cancer-safe practices. There are other options available as well. Make sure you choose a course with care because you will want to make sure that it is accredited and recognised.
Not only do you need to consider what treatments you are going to offer and how you are going to provide them but you need to ensure that you keep your business management software up to date. You can make sure that only therapists with the required training are assigned to individuals who have cancer. You can also make sure there is an alert on the system so that you know when patients need extra care or have any special requirements. This means you can provide them in a sensitive and discreet manner, without making your customer feel uncomfortable.
We hope that this has helped you to get a better understanding of what is entailed when treating clients with cancer at your spa. We know that you may be worried about treating someone who is unwell, but it is important to think about just how much they are going to be craving some relaxation and relief. With the right training and a few tweaks in terms of the treatment you offer, you can set your spa up perfectly for people who have cancer.
