My grandmother, Fran Salem, and her younger sister, Marion Rossman, are going to the spa. To be precise, they're hitting HealthWinds Spa, a chic health and wellness spa in uptown Toronto, for a reflexology foot massage and a hydradermie facial.
Considering the fact that both women are octogenarians -- one with a heart condition, the other with osteoporosis -- they're not exactly the variety of spa-goer you would imagine prancing around earth-tone rooms wearing terry-cloth robes. But think again, because after women and men in their 20s and 30s, senior citizens constitute the next fastest-growing demographic in the spa market, says Kailee Kline, president of a 31-member association called Spas Ontario, and owner of HealthWinds.
And, she explains, this makes sense. "Although our primary market is younger, we have been getting more calls from senior citizens, and they're not at all shy about telling us that they're senior citizens, and are also quick to point out that they have all sorts of health ailments."
Situated in a medical building at Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue, HealthWinds takes a lot of referrals from physicians in the area. The Ontario government doesn't pay, but with extended health benefits, many of the services, including massages and a multitude of other body treatments, are covered.
Kline believes that there has been a shift in attitude among the aged. "Ten years ago, senior citizens would have considered these treatments frivolous, but now people are realizing, 'You know what; I'm here for the long term and I want to feel good while I'm here.' "
Back at HealthWinds, reflexologist Giovanna and aesthetician Elena lead Fran and Marion into the change room. At first, the grandmothers insist on wearing the robes over their street clothes (too much of a hassle to undress), but, in time, concede. Swimming in terry cloth while sipping lemon-tinged water, they sit in the airy relaxation room, with its blond hardwood floors, fireplace and comfy chairs, questioning the expediency of listing all of their medications on the official health form.
Fran ends up jotting down "loads" while Marion writes, "too many." (Their various afflictions had been discussed with Kline ahead of time.) "You know, when you're young you take it all for granted because your body is beautiful to start with," Fran pontificates, "but when you get older, you really need to take care of things. It's like maintenance with a car."
And with that, she is off to her treatment room.
Anne Anderson, of the Spa at Hockley Valley Resort in Orangeville, says her spa has also seen a steady increase in senior spa-goers over the past few years, and thinks that their clientele is now about 20 per cent seniors. "They like the manicures and pedicures, but we actually have a group of five in right now and they're getting the works: massages, facials, scrubs, manicures and pedicures."
Anderson says that some of the treatments do elevate body temperatures, so clients should inform the spa of any health concerns before booking treatments.
The aged spa-goer isn't just in this for pretty nails and stress reduction, but also for health maintenance. HealthWinds' Kline says spas must determine what kinds of treatments are safe, and also effective. If clients are taking heart medications such as Coumadin for example, it would prohibit a spa from performing massage therapy, hydrotherapy or anything else that would accelerate the circulation. However, what's counterproductive for increasing circulation could be very productive for osteoporosis. So, if a spa had a person with osteoporosis but without any kind of arterial sclerosis, they would probably look to treatments such as hydrotherapy because it's a good way of increasing circulation and bringing nutrition to tissue and bone.
