The Language of Touch

Recently, the benefits of human touch have made headlines in seemingly unrelated nightly news reports …but are the stories really that different?   They both demonstrate the struggle of a hard fought battle and the powerful shield touch provides.  

During a recent national basketball championship game, the camera caught one player reaching out to touch his teammate’s back during a critical moment--that simple touch was a vote of support and confidence.  It had a calming and successful effect on the other player’s performance.  Science supports this too; several social psychologists from the University of California-Berkeley recently analyzed hundreds of hours of professional basketball films and concluded that the teams that touch the most win the most. 

The other story focused on the incredible improvement in Rep. Gabrielle Giffords condition since the gunshot wound she suffered to her brain in January.  Much credit is given to the physical contact she received from family and friends at her bedside.  Again and again we were shown the simple grasp of hands that she and her husband shared as she lay unresponsive.  Did this gentle human contact contribute to her quick recovery?  Touch can forge a bond of trust in its simple silence.

Caregivers--family and professionals--practice the healing effects of touch each and every day as they provide care to another whether they are meeting physical or emotional needs.  The delicate touch to a hand, a gentle pat on the back, and a tender hug are all seemingly small physical gestures with powerful rewards for both individuals involved.  Caregivers often need to learn to accept the same sense of comfort, peace and pleasure touch can bring into their lives.