Reopening Information: Please read today's message in its entirety to prepare for your next massage.
Scheduling: I have begun contacting clients regarding scheduling. Please be patient as it takes time to get to everyone. You will be contacted in the order in which your appointments had to be canceled and/or the order in which you contacted me to schedule. Please be aware, all scheduling must be done through me at this time until further notice.
New Cancellation Policy: Amid the uncertainty of COVID-19, I have modified my cancellation policy to offer you more flexibility. I hope this alleviates any stress or hesitation you have about an upcoming appointment. If you need to reschedule for any reason, especially if you are not feeling well, I understand and request you contact me ASAP to reschedule without penalty. For everyone's health and safety, I reserve the right to refuse treatment if you arrive displaying symptoms. If this is the case, you will be charged a cancellation fee of 100% the cost of your scheduled service.
New Booking Policy: Due to COVID-19, I am limiting the number of daily (and weekly) appointments I schedule. Everyone's health and safety in our office is very important to me. For this reason, any client not currently receiving a massage needs to wait outside the building (with the exception of minors or dependent adults who may have 1 guardian present).
Before you arrive: Have you had a fever in the past 72 hours (100 or higher)? Do you have or have you had any respiratory or flu like symptoms (cough, sore throat, fatigue, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, chills or other symptoms)? Have you been in contact with anyone in the last 14 days who has been diagnosed with or is being tested for COVID-19 or has COVID symptoms? If you answer yes to any of these questions or you aren't feeling 100% well, please err on the side of caution and contact me to reschedule for 2 weeks out.
When you arrive: Please wait in your vehicle in the front parking lot and call or text me of your arrival. When I am ready for you, I will bring you into the office. Please bring a face mask with you to wear when you come in to the building. I will also be wearing a mask at all times. If you do not have a mask, please let me know when you contact me of your arrival. I have invested in reusable fabric masks that will be washed between every use. We will stop at the restroom for you to wash your hands before heading back to the treatment room.
In the treatment room:
Client changing area: the bench that you utilize for your belongings will be draped with a clean towel for each client. Please use only the towel covered surface for any and all belongings. Limit what you bring in to the office to your essentials (wallet, phone, keys).
Hand Sanitizer: In addition to tissues, hand sanitizer is available on the shelf by the changing bench. Please utilize it as much as needed, but always after using a tissue. Soap and water are available in my room as well, so if you prefer to wash your hands immediately before or after your massage, please do so.
Face Masks: Face masks will be worn on the table while you are face up. While face down, you may remove your mask. The face cradle will be draped in a way to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.
Massage Table: Extra cushioning and table heat have been removed for the time being to assist sanitation between clients. I will continue to provide a blanket and heat packs. Blankets and covers for the heat packs will be changed and laundered between each use.
Air Purifier/Windows: I have added a HEPA air purifier to the treatment room which will be running before, during and after all sessions as their use with similar viruses indicates they may be helpful in reducing concentrations of airborne virus particles. I will keep my windows at least partially open when possible to circulate fresh air into the treatment room.
Payment/Rescheduling: To minimize common area traffic, all payments and rescheduling will take place in the massage room. I will begin utilizing the invoicing feature on Square in order to offer you a contactless payment option online before or after your service. For anyone paying within the office by credit card, signatures are no longer required. Additionally, I will utilize an iPad that will be disinfected after each use.
Conversation: I know we all want to catch up, but we need to minimize our casual conversation. Please keep in mind that I must sanitize well between clients; so once your session, rescheduling and payment are taken care of, it is time to exit the office.
Trash: Please dispose of any tissues, paper towels or other garbage in one of the new lidded trash cans.
After You Return Home: Please contact me ASAP if you begin showing any apparent COVID-19 symptoms.
What am I doing to keep us both as healthy as possible:
· Taking my own temperature at the start of each day.
· Canceling appointments if I do not feel well.
· Washing my hands thoroughly with soap and water, before and after every client.
· All treatment room surfaces, including the massage table and client bench, will be disinfected at the start of the day, between clients and the end of the day.
· Frequent disinfection of common areas.
· I will change my clothing between each client as it is common for the fabric to come in contact with clients shared surfaces or skin during treatment.
· Keeping Conversation to a Minimum: I have missed you all so much, so this will be hard for me too!
Last, but certainly not least, if you have questions or concerns, please ask! If you are not ready to be back on the massage table at this time, I understand and look forward to seeing you when you are ready!
Yours in Health,
Sara
MESSENGER
The Retreat Massage Therapy updated their business hours.
April 28, 2020 Update: As the State of Iowa begins to roll out phased reopening of businesses throughout the state, Linn County is one of the unfortunate counties to have a high number of cases of COVID-19. As such, Phase 1 is not set to begin in Linn County at this time. Additionally, when Phase 1 does begin in Linn County, massage therapists are not currently a part of Phase 1 making it highly likely that it could be a while before I am able to see all of you again. Trust me, I want to open my doors and see each of you, but I also value the health and safety of each of you and our communities!
At this time, all appointments through May 17th are cancelled. Until we see at least a Phase 1 rollout in Linn County, it does not make sense for me to begin to schedule appointments. For this reason, I am not scheduling future appointments and have temporarily removed the option to utilize my online scheduling system.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to check on me and my family. We are doing well and finding ways to stay busy at home. If you are having pain or muscle tension and need ideas for stretches and exercises for your self care routine, please reach out to me and let me know. Personally, I have been utilizing my foam roller, stretching, strength training and cardio to keep myself fairly pain free (and sane... exercise goes a long way toward maintaining sanity these days!) When things get tight and sore, I'm also adding on epsom salt soaks followed by stretching and a massaging foam roller to get into the deeper areas that need attention.
Be safe and stay healthy, friends! I look forward to seeing all of you as soon as we can!
With the updated information that has been shared this week, I am extending the temporary closure of my massage therapy practice. The latest information we are hearing from CDC and Iowa Department of Public Health tells me it is best for everyone I serve to extend my temporary closure.
All appointments are canceled through April 30th at this time. Once again, I will reassess the situation closer to that date, and I will be in touch as soon as I feel it is safe to resume business. I have temporarily removed the option to utilize my online scheduling system until I am able to reschedule everyone affected by my closure. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we navigate this new normal!
Effective immediately, I am temporarily closing my massage therapy practice. I have been enjoying a quiet (socially distant) spring break with my family this week and using the time to keep up to date with the latest COVID-19 information. Between the information I have read and the government mandated closures, I feel it is best for everyone I serve that I temporarily close my practice. All appointments are canceled through April 5th at this time, and I will reassess the situation closer to that date. I will be in touch as soon as I feel it is safe to resume business. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we navigate this new territory together!
Happy Veterans Day. Today we honor and thank all who have served past and present. Thank you.
MESSENGER
The Retreat Massage Therapy updated their info in the about section.
MESSENGER
The Retreat Massage Therapy updated their business hours.
Great reminders to start our first full workweek of 2021. Happy New Year, friends!
Don’t be late for your massage this week! Spring those clocks forward and enjoy that extra hour of daylight this evening.
