Price: $200
8 PA LMT CEUs [Certifications Awarded Upon Completion]
Date: August 29, 2026. 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Instructor and BIO: Ana Varona MA, LMT
Ana Varona is a graduate of the Swedish Institute (1988) and holds a BS in human movement studies from the CUNY Baccalaureate Program and an interdisciplinary MA in wellness and health promotion from CA State University. In addition to her bodywork career, she has been a personal trainer, a dance and movement educator, and a worksite wellness program manager.
Ana is a certified Active Release Techniques (ART® Provider and a certified Kinesio® Taping Instructor. She earned the Clinical Rehabilitative Massage Specialty certificate from the NCBTMB and the Academy of Clinical Massage. She is a certified Ergonomics Assessment Specialist (Back School of Atlanta). Ana teaches clinical massage and Kinesio Taping courses on the East Coast and Puerto Rico. She practices in the Princeton, NJ area. Learn more at www.calmatherapy.com.
Location: The Wellness Institute of Chester County
402C Gordon Drive
Exton, PA 19341
Facilitator: Robyn Zappy/ WIofCC Acting Director
This class will be held in 402F, please enter at the back of the building. You will see a set of double doors under an awning, enter through the glass door with the CE Classroom sign on it.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This eight-hour class prepares students to work with the elderly population to address the general complaints that arise with the aging process. There will be a review of some of the common physiological changes that occur in this stage of life, particularly to the skin and the musculoskeletal system, as well as the most common conditions and pathologies in this population. These include fragility, general stiffness, range of motion limitations, and a variety of conditions including arthritis, old injuries, post-surgical scars and adhesions, and osteoporosis, among others. Ways of working with neurological conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, and Alzheimer’s, as well as depression and anxiety, will be addressed.
Students will learn effective adaptations to treatment, such as levels of pressure, pacing, use of props, working with the client in a variety of positions on the table, a recliner, or bed, with or without clothing, and with or without lubricant. Hygiene and safety concerns will be addressed, as well as communication style and the creation of a trusting, safe environment for working with the elderly.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of the class participants will be able to:
• Effectively take a medical history and communicate the goals of treatment
• Create a safe and welcoming environment for the elderly
• Describe common physiological changes associated with aging
• Adapt client positioning and make use of props when needed
• Adjust pressure levels and apply appropriate techniques based on the client's specific needs and conditions
• Understand precautions and contraindications to treatment of the elderly
• Describe some of the common pathologies and conditions associated with aging
• Confidently work with clients recovering from strokes or diagnosed with Parkinson’s or other degenerative neurological conditions
• Master alternatives ways of working without a massage table
• Deliver a session with the client fully clothed and without lubrication
Please wear comfortable LAB Clothes
Please Bring: sheets, gel, oil or lotion, pillow and hand towel, pen and notebook
Please use the name you would like on your certificate when registering. Please use the email you would like event notifications sent to.
Disclosure Statement by The Wellness Institute of Chester County Acknowledgment of Audio and Video Surveillance: I hereby acknowledge that I have been informed and understand that The Wellness Institute of Chester County utilizes continuous audio and video surveillance on its premises. I understand that surveillance is conducted for the safety, security, and well-being of all students, staff, and visitors, as well as for the protection of property. I am aware that audio and video monitoring is active at all times in common areas, classrooms, hallways, and other designated spaces within the school. Upon arrival I understand that I will be asked to sign a statement stating I confirm my awareness and consent to this ongoing audio and video surveillance while on school property.