Widow Louise Keehan feels as if she is “on cloud nine” when she emerges from the complementary therapy sessions provided by ellenor.
She said: “Complementary therapies using the human touch make you feel as if someone is caring for you, as if you are in safe hands. And it is just so relaxing. You can really switch off from your cares and woes and worries.
“You come out feeling so much lighter. It’s so good for the mind, body and soul. I would recommend it to anyone, and there are probably a lot more people out there who could benefit from it, especially over the Christmas period.”
Louise is lucky to be part of a supportive family network, Des’s family have been an invaluable source of support as have her mother and brother living nearby, and her son Aaron just down the road from her in Wilmington. She hopes all three of them will spend Christmas with her this year, with maybe some other family members also popping in.
The retired primary school teacher began having complementary therapies at ellenor when her late husband Des discovered the benefits of massage offered at the Gravesend hospice.
She said: “Des always looked forward to going and it helped to calm him down, so when I was offered some, I decided to give it a go.
“I had some treatment while he was having his and I’ve carried on. I’ve had reiki, massage and reflexology. It’s really relaxing and calming and very therapeutic. I like the holistic approach. It helps your body, but it also deals with the mind. Afterwards I always feel a lot lighter and a lot calmer.”
Des, who suffered from Motor Neurone Disease (MND), died in June 2020 at the age of 62. During his illness and after his death Louise found the wide range of support from ellenor invaluable.
She said: “They were really good at dealing with Des and got to know him over time. It’s so much more than just looking after someone when they are dying. I’ve had so much support from ellenor.”
