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In the summer of 2000, Massage Review
Publications became the exclusive publisher
and distributor of all videos, books,
courses, and products created by the
Day-Break Geriatric Massage Project that was
founded by Dietrich Miesler in 1991. The
Geriatric Massage Project, now known as the
Geriatric Massage Institute (GMI), is an
institute that encourages and teaches the
use of skillful hands-on work to make life
more enjoyable for the elderly by helping
them to maintain their health and often to
regain physical capabilities that seemed
lost forever.
The word “geriatric” refers to health
impairments that are associated with the
later years of life. Hence, this type of
massage takes age-related health conditions
into account. To do this successfully
requires theoretical knowledge and technical
skills that go beyond what is usually taught
in massage schools because it is not needed
in a practice directed at younger clients.
As this information is not readily
available, GMI was founded to pull pertinent
facts from the fields of medicine,
psychology, sociology, gerontology, and
various bodywork disciplines to develop
Geriatric Massage as a specialty. This
ever-growing body of knowledge and
techniques is the basis for GMI’s
instructional books, videos, weekend
workshops, and correspondence courses.
At the present time, GMI has seven
instructors conducting workshops at various
locations throughout the country several
times each month. Since its inception, GMI
has conducted over 500 workshops.
( To see the current schedule, just select
Day Break Schedule at the bottom of this
page.)
All GMI courses are
NCBTMB and FSMTA approved Category "A"
courses.
Level 1 – Geriatric Massage Workshop
This 2-1/2 day weekend workshop is the base
course for the training program in Geriatric
Massage. It offers 17 CEU contact hours for
Massage Therapists and completion qualifies
you for the Level 1 Certificate in the
Geriatric Massage Training Program. The
therapist who likes to work with seniors is
put on the path to a massage career that is
emotionally satisfying and financially
promising without being physically draining.
Level 2 – Advanced Geriatric Massage
Workshop
This 2-1/2 day weekend workshop is the next
level in the training program in Geriatric
Massage. It offers 17 CEU contact hours for
Massage Therapists and completion qualifies
you for the Level 2 Certificate in the
Geriatric Massage Training Program. Two days
of the workshop are spent in a nursing home
or assisted living facility, working
directly with elderly volunteers.
Prerequisite: Must have attended the Level 1
Geriatric Massage Workshop within previous 2
years.
Massage Therapy & Medications
This newly established weekend workshop
provides you with a wealth of information
and 17 CEU’s. Particularly applicable to the
geriatric population, the workshop is based
upon Randal Persad’s new book “Massage
Therapy and Medications”. Upon completion,
participants will possess the skills,
knowledge, and attitudes required
understanding how and why medications work;
how medications can influence the outcome of
a massage; and how to adapt the treatment
with a focus on client safety.
Five Rites of Rejuvenation
This is also a new course. The course is
based on the Five Tibetan Rites. It
introduces the techniques and wisdom that
can enhance your health, increase your joy
and longevity with quality. It demystifies
the ancient science of Yoga. This course
offers you 17 CEU’s.
Symposium
It became apparent early on that our
approach to massage, successful as it was,
could only gain more by the inclusion of
other hands-on modalities suitable for our
work with the elderly, such as Trager,
lymphatic massage, and energy work. So, the
idea of inviting other interested therapists
and experts in various bodywork fields led
to the search for an appropriate location
where we could meet for a week of studying
and relaxing. The first three symposia were
held at Isis Oasis, a quaint retreat center
in beautiful Northern California. Additional
symposia were held in Murphy, North
Carolina, with future ones to be held in
Colorado and Florida.
The symposium creates a wonderfully
congenial atmosphere among the attendees. As
this bonding process proved to be a major
factor of the success, we no longer accept
people who just want to attend the lectures.
The bonding process led to many friendships
over thousands of miles. One of our Canadian
participants spent a week in Arizona
visiting with a new friend. Another from
Lake Tahoe spent her entire vacation trip
going from place to place all the way to
Texas, visiting her new acquaintances met
last year. This camaraderie is especially
important for instructors, who, under normal
circumstances would never see each other
again, while all are working for the common
goal. This fits beautifully with the actual
purpose for these annual symposia, namely
exposing therapists who are deeply committed
to working in the field of Geriatric Massage
to other methods and philosophies. We feel
that one never has too many tools at one’s
disposal, or too many friends.
Please see the online workshop schedules or
for more information, contact:
Sharon Puszko, PhD, CMT, Owner, Executive
Director
Day-Break Geriatric Massage Institute
7434 King George Drive, Suite A
Indianapolis, IN 46260
Phone: (317) 722-9896 · Fax: (317) 722-0511
· E-mail:
spuszko@juno.com
Or
Visit the Day-Break web site at
www.daybreak-massage.com
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