Outcalls & controling the envirnoment

[hgolden]

I know that some of you on here do outcalls. As I have said in another post I am currently doing my student massage at others homes due to lack of space at my home. My question is how do you handle things like pets, phones, temp control and probaly a million other things I am not thinking to ask. Or do you even try? Do you have a standard statement when the appointment is made? Today I did a massage at a womens home who had a small dog that insisted on laying on her legs. It was pretty funny. I told her I didn't mind while I was working on her back if she didn't. I guess I just don't know if it should be a big deal or not. I am pretty laid back and have lots of animals myself. I also want to make sure I do things the "right" way. It seems like making rules in other peoples homes would be weird. But is there a certain standard I should try and uphold?
Thanks

 

[Sick Jane]

Seattlesunshine,
I do some outcalls myself and you're learning "early" that things can not always be controlled in an "outcall" evironment. Realize that there are some things which are under your control, and some things which are not.
It's, after all, their home. You may be able to come up with a list of "suggestions" though.

You may want to ask the homeowner before booking, the square fooeforum.xxxe of the space they want to do the massage in and if there are any steps or other difficulties in working on their property. You can also ask if they have a CD player or if you should bring your own "sound system" for use during the massage. You can ask in advance if they have pets which may be an issue.

Some things such as the temperature in the home are really more in the client's control. I do carry a Thermophore with me on my outcalls so I am able to warm the client a little. I also tend to use flannel sheets and it's always a good idea to have a blanket and or towel for use if the client gets "chilled" during the massage.

You could type up an outcall sheet for your clients which you could send to them when they book their appointment, allowing them time to read the sheet before their appointment. In there you could cover the above issues as well as suggestions for pre and post massage self-care. You could also put the info up on a website of your own- perhaps even as a downloadable PDF file which clients could download along with a copy of your client health intake form. You could direct your potential client there during the initial phone call to download the forms and fill them out before their appointment.

Small and wellbehaved dogs or cats probably wouldn't bother me to much. But it IS another "energy" in the room and I'm always aware that they're "there" if you know what I mean? I think I'm more "touchy" about people entering the room and touching the client unexpectedly than I am animals though.

My little Chihuahua, Ceely, used to like to come in while I was massaging friends or family and lie under the table. A couple of times she almost got stepped on... so I tended to shut her out of the room or crate her while I had someone there. My friends and family always asked to see her after their massage was over if they didn't get to see her Before or During the massage. LOL So it really depends on who you are working on... and in this case, how they feel about Their Own Pets. Once you are out of school however, it'll take on much more importance for you! Hope I've helped get you thinking on it some!

 

[dfsadfagdagda]

as maestra says, there's not a whole lot you can do, other than make suggestions.

pets, generally, will follow their owner's emotional state~ so as the clent relaxes on the table, the pet will usually curl up and nap nearby. some people insist upon putting their dog in another room to 'not bother' you while you're working. but if the dog cries or barks continuously, that's annoying. if there's not a biting issue, i may ask them to leave the dog loose. and yes, they've been on the table with the client. just resist the urge to touch them with lube on your hands! :shock:
i always make a point when arriving to greet the pet in the household, particularly dogs, if they're there with the client at the door. i feel this is important so i can guage if the dog is agressive or fearful of a stranger. (you're going to put your hands on their mommy or daddy, and that may be perceived by the dog as hostility. rare, but possible.)

after the greeting, i ask the client where to set up and i do so. if they haven't had massage before i go into a little more detail about the sequence of events, draping, undressing, etc... right before i step out of the room to go wash, is when i remind the client to adjust the lighting, blinds, cell phone/phone ringers, and thermastat to 'make it more comfortable for you'.

what happens next (other than the massage) is mostly out of your control. people walk in to the area, doorbells ring, the mailman arrives with a package, the t.v. is loud in another room, babies cry, cell phones go off, etc.

stuff happens. you kind of deal with it or ignore it and get through your massage. most times it's pretty uneventful.

 

[1+1=3]

this topic reminds of last year for Valentine's Day when I do a couples massage in there home. The lady and I planned the entire evening to be perfect for her wife. Well it was a gorgeous setting no lights except a fireplace and about 100 candles. Pets picked up prior to my getting there as I set up everything while they were at dinner. In the middle of the second one's massage I seen a car pass in front there house...no big deal. Then I seen it again and again. Then I made a comment that I keep seeing the same vehicle pass in front. Well my car was parked in front there house away from the driveway so when they arrived home the wife wouldn't suspect anything. Well a few minutes after the car stopped passing there neighbor came knocking at there door. She thought my car was a PI watching her! lol It was her soon to be ex husband's car that I had seen passing by spying on her( she had seen him pass too). She saw this real elaborate romantic setting but yet continued to talk for 10 minutes. It was funny though and it did give us all a laugh.
So you see you can't control what happens no matter how hard and well you plan something. You just kind of go with the flow and take it as it comes

 

[littleme09]

Thank you all. Its actually a relief to hear you all say that some things are just out of your control. Its a heavy weight to feel like you would have to control everything. Like i said I am pretty laid back and generally roll with the punches in life. But you know when its something new like this it just feels good to hear that that is an ok way to approach it. Also I love the ideas on giving the client ideas on what will make them more comfty.
Thanks again

 

[Thutmose I]

I am not so easy going and all these things bothered the heck out of me, which is why I stopped doing housecalls. I felt it really took away from the quality of massage the person received.

I think it's a great idea to mail them a list of suggestions of things they can do that will enhance their experience and also make things easier for you.......like clearing a snow-covered walkway, or moving furniture so that there is enough room for your table.

I've had dogs goose me while I gave a massage, cats jump on the table; I've worked in homes where the owners were heavy smokers, had gas fireplaces turned on in very warm weather, telephones ringing, babies crying, UPS men ringing the doorbell, neighbors fighting.......oh boy! It was so much more than I ever expected when I decided to do house calls. Some of my outcall clients now come to my office and just love the environment and enjoy the experience so much more now. They really had no idea how much all those little things do distract. So, I think a written sheet might help them think of those things. Hopefully, they can make a few adjustments anyway and it will add to their experience.

 

[Angela M]

kneaded makes some very good points here~ specifically, if you have pet allergies, don't like cigar/cigarette smoke, are environmentally/chemically senstitive, or aren't the kind of person that can deal with the unexpected, then imo, mobile isn't probably for you.

on another note, i generally feel it's my responsibility to move furniture. partly because most folks have no idea what amount of space i need. some do anyway, and i'm grateful. besides, i move the least possible.
and i enjoy bringing the service to the client to emphasize that they don't need to do a thing except breathe and enjoy the service.

ps. after my last post on pets, i had an appointment with a gal who had 2 cats and 2 very large iguanas~ 1 who was chilling on top of his cage, sleeping next to one of the kitties. i wish i had a pic.. it's was a great example of tolerence and accceptance. :shock:

 

[Josh H]

Wow. What a wonderful thread and what spectacular comments.

I can't add too much to this, except that I'd like to take this a step further and make a new thread where we can start a "suggestion sheet" for future reference for other bodyworkers.

Here's the link: http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=28550#28550

Please add comments and lists there, and we can tweka it along the way, until we get a really nice one for house calls.

Anyone game????


I'll hope that this comment doesn't kill the thread and that people continue to post here, while working on the "sheet" on the new thread.

 

[mooki3babiiyonkerz]

Anyone game????

i'll try to come up with a few. maybe i'll get a couple of minutes to find some really good old threads on safety and security.