Holistic care through scent, attention and connection

An interview with Babette Joseph

In the field of elderly care, there is a growing focus on ways to support residents not only physically, but also emotionally and energetically. Holistic massage therapist Babette Joseph She works in complementary care at Egala Zorg in Breda, where she uses essential oils, amongst other things. In this interview, she talks about her work, her client group and the special moments that arise when scent, attention and care come together.

Let me introduce myself

“My name is Babette Joseph and I work as a holistic massage therapist for the Complementary Care department at Egala Zorg in Breda. At Egala Zorg, we have three sites where culture-specific care is provided. Residents include elderly people from Brabant, elderly people of Indonesian/Moluccan origin, and elderly people of Turkish origin.”

k

Babette visits all the care homes and works with residents from a variety of cultural backgrounds. “As part of Complementary Care, we support residents with issues such as restlessness, anxiety, sleep problems and trauma. We look at what each person needs to feel more comfortable, calmer and more balanced.”

How did you discover De Groene Linde?

Babette learnt about the products through her studies.
“In 2019, I took a course in Therapeutic Touch. After we passed, our tutor gave us each a small bottle of oil. She used the oils herself in her practice.”

That little bottle turned out to be the start of a discovery.
“I loved the scent straight away. Out of personal interest, I then had a look to see what else was in the range.”

How can you use essential oils to target your audience?

Essential oils are used in various ways in elderly care.
“For example, we have streamers which we use in residents” rooms. In addition, we are increasingly using rollers for residents who walk about a lot or wander. An aura spray can also be very helpful when the energy in a residential group feels a bit out of balance.”

For Babette, practical applicability is particularly important.
“The Linde Care ”That range is really handy, because it contains everything we need."

She also uses oils during her massages.
“The massage oil ‘Grounding’ is something I really enjoy during foot massages, for example. And the oil ‘Relaxation’I like to use that too. Many scents are familiar to residents and almost automatically evoke a sense of calm.”

Do you have a favourite product?

Babette can’t help but laugh at this question.
“I actually have several favourite products! I’m a big fan of ‘Mother Earth’ and ‘Inner Peace’. But within our care organisation, I also really enjoy working with the Linde Care range, because I’ve noticed that it works very well for our residents.”

A special moment from our practice

Sometimes, scent and care can come together to create a truly special moment.
“I once administered the oil to a resident who was in the terminal phase, in consultation with the family, ‘Serenity’ was placed in a streamer in her room. The family also stayed in the room to keep watch over her.”

l

The family’s reaction

“They told me that, first and foremost, they found it quite special that we, as an organisation, offer this service. Furthermore, the scent gave not only the resident but also them a sense of relaxation whilst keeping vigil. They found that to be very valuable.”

In conclusion

Babette’s work shows how small sensory experiences, such as smell, can play a major role in well-being and comfort. Essential oils in elderly care – where memories, emotions and a sense of security are so important – can sometimes provide exactly that little bit of peace and tranquillity that someone needs.