At De Groene Linde, it’s all about improving people’s wellbeing. We create beautiful scent frequencies that you can use, for example, to lift your mood, break through energy blockages or provide support for other energy-related issues.
Another area into which we pour our energy with great care and attention is the use of scent frequencies in the care sector. It is particularly important for this vulnerable group that the oils are used correctly, and you can achieve so many wonderful things in this way. We already have quite a few care homes working with our scent frequencies, and we’re hearing lots of wonderful stories from them. The frequencies are often used to address misunderstood behaviour and to create a certain atmosphere within, for example, a living room.
What does aromatherapy involve?
You hear the term ‘complementary care’ more and more these days. Aromatherapy involves the use of scent frequencies in healthcare and can form part of complementary care. The beauty of this natural form of support is that it is a gentle intervention. You can therefore view aromatherapy as a first step to take when dealing with unexplained behaviour such as anxiety, restlessness, tension or poor sleep. If this holistic approach does not work (well enough), you can always resort to other methods.
The great thing about essential oil is that it works in three ways:
- 𝙶𝚎𝚞𝚛
The scent is the first thing you notice. You may like it or you may not, but it still does its job. This is because the scent reaches our olfactory receptors straight away – we have around 430 million of them in our nose. These receptors are so close to the brain that a signal is sent immediately to all parts of our brain. One part of the brain, the limbic system, controls your memory, so you might immediately recall a memory when you smell a particular scent. Your brain also regulates your hormone balance, blood pressure and so on. When scent molecules reach the brain, they therefore have an immediate influence on feelings and behaviour. Inhaling a scent thus has a very rapid effect. Does the resident no longer have a scent? This makes no difference to how it works.
- 𝙳𝚎 𝚑𝚞𝚒𝚍
Applying a diluted essential oil to the skin allows the oil to enter the system directly. It enters the bloodstream, enabling it to spread throughout the body. The oil can easily penetrate the skin due to its small molecular structure. This also means it takes effect quickly and can therefore help with many physical problems.
- 𝙴𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚑
The third approach is the energetic one, and perhaps the most beautiful one, if you ask us. Surrounding our physical body is an energetic body. People who work in the care sector, for example, Therapeutic Touch – a nursing intervention – are already aware of this and are already working with this energy system. You can have an even deeper effect on this by using essential oils.
How to use scents in healthcare
Of course, we understand that things are always very busy in the care sector. There’s a lot to do, and you want to give people plenty of personal attention. That’s why we’ve prepared ready-to-use products for the care sector, so that you can apply aromatherapy quickly and easily. Based on our experiences within healthcare institutions and the discussions we’ve had with staff, we’ve developed a wonderful Linde Care range created. This range is based on misunderstood behaviour, and the essential oils used have been adapted for this vulnerable target group. This means you can be sure that, when you use the chosen products correctly, the oils are safe to use. There are various types of products that you can use in different ways within aromatherapy care.
𝙴𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚎
There are various ways to use essential oil. For example, by using a aroma diffuser, you can create a certain atmosphere in a living room or bedroom. It’s always just a hint of the scent – you’re not meant to have to push through a sort of smoke screen to get into the living room 😉
A scent stone It’s easy to use to diffuse a scent in someone’s room. It can be placed in a bedroom next to the bed or attached to the bed in a breathable pouch. The great thing about this is that it isn’t as expensive as having an aroma diffuser in every bedroom, and it adds just a hint of fragrance.
𝚁𝚘𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚗
A roll-on is a brilliant product for personal use by a resident. You can keep it in the medication drawer, for example, which means it remains a personal item and you can be sure that the roll-on is used during every medication round.
𝚂𝚙𝚛𝚊𝚢
A spray is great for freshening up a room. You can also use it within a resident’s energy field. To do this, simply spray it above the resident’s head. We can well imagine that this might not be entirely pleasant. But having Be Fresh in the toilet isn’t exactly a luxury 😉
𝙼𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚎
Two scents from the Linde Care range are available as massage oils. Thanks to the collaboration with Eric Both from Massage in Healthcare Foundation This is how we came to this decision. The massage oil makes it very easy to give a resident a quick hand massage, offering them a moment of genuine personal attention.
𝙱𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚎𝚖𝚜
There are two balms in our Linde Care range. A soothing balm for use on the respiratory tract and a balm for muscles and joints. These balms can be applied directly to the skin and are also suitable for use during massage. Apply ‘Be Healthy’ to the chest and back three times a day, and ‘Be Comfy’ several times a day to painful joints.
How do you choose the right fragrance?
Then comes what is perhaps the trickiest part… How do you choose the right scent profile? Fortunately, the Linde Care fragrance range offers a choice of clear themes. This makes it very easy to decide which oil is suitable for your resident’s behaviour that is difficult to understand. But sometimes you’re not quite sure whether it’s anxiety that’s troubling the resident or a feeling of insecurity. In that case, it’s a good idea to test which scent suits them best together with the resident. Especially when people are still able to express their opinions very clearly, it’s nice to have a sniff of the scents together. Let the resident take their time smelling the roller so that the scent isn’t too overpowering.
Contraindications
It is important to bear contraindications in mind. For example, lavender is known to lower blood pressure. However, our blends are formulated in such a way that they are generally safe to use. You also only use a very low percentage, and to really lower your blood pressure, you’d almost have to step into a bath full of lavender oil 😉 It is, however, good to be aware of this before you start aromatherapy. You can read more about the contraindications in our comprehensive blog.
Allergies
When selecting essential oils for the Linde Care range, we have tried to avoid allergens as much as possible. This makes the range particularly suitable for use with vulnerable groups. However, it is, of course, always possible that a resident might react to the roller by developing a slight rash at the application site. Fortunately, as you’ve read above, there are so many other ways to harness the power of essential oils. If this happens, stop using the roller straight away and switch to, for example, a scent stone.
Useful tips
We’re always on the lookout for, and love to share, great tips on using essential oils in care settings. For example, we received a brilliant tip from Omring about making our own scented plaster stones as part of a day activity programme. It’s a lovely activity; the residents are immediately intrigued by the product, and it’s a fun and affordable way to get hold of the scented stones.
Use an aroma diffuser in the living room to help regulate the residents’ day-night rhythm. Examples include the Be Happy in the morning, the Be Fresh in the afternoon and the Be Calm Turn on the diffuser after dinner. That way, the residents get used to the scents at certain times. Of course, you can always choose a different scent if the situation calls for it.
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Give your loved ones a scented stone to take with them after saying goodbye to a loved one. Unfortunately, palliative care is part of the care process. To give the resident time to pass away in peace, you can offer them some comfort with the Serenity. This helps to create a peaceful and serene atmosphere. Loved ones find comfort, and the resident themselves feels calm and at peace. By giving loved ones a drop of Serenity on a small stone to take home after the farewell, they continue to be comforted by the scent even at home.
It’s also nice to use the roll-on. It can also be used by family members and loved ones who are keeping vigil with the resident. Roll a little oil onto your hands and rub them together briefly to warm it up. Then hold the resident’s hands and sit quietly for a moment. This allows the oil to have a comforting effect on both of you and gives you a lovely, peaceful moment together.
We hope all this information has sparked your curiosity. Would you like to start using essential oils in your organisation? Or if you have any questions about how to use them or would like some useful tips, please email us at zorg@degroenelinde.nl.
𝙻𝚒𝚎𝚏𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚝 𝚣𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚖
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