Ginger Peer-Spencer of Heartfelt Touch Massage Therapy in Gloucester started her nonprofit organization Heartfelt Community in 2021 so she could provide her services to people who didn’t have the resources to pay for therapy.
Now that nonprofit has released a book, “What These Hands Have Seen,” a collection of narratives that “highlights the remarkable lives of over 50 local seniors, with each page serving as a testament to their rich experiences, wisdom, and joy,” said a press release. Each senior’s personal narrative is paired with a black-and-white portrait of their hands engaged in some activity that represents who they are.
Peer-Spencer said that as people get older, the senses tend to fade, “but the sense of touch never fades.” She reminds caregivers to “slow down and be intentional in their caregiving.”
“Seniors are the most touch-deprived group in the community,” she said. “So slow down, listen to them, talk to them instead of talking over them, and touch them.”
With photos by ...