THE PROFESSION OF MASSEUR AS ONE OF THE POSSIBILITIES FOR INTEGRATION INTO OPEN SOCIETY: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE LITHUANIAN BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED.

   How did it begin?

The blind and visually impaired of Lithuania, like the handicapped of other post-Communist countries, formed a comparatively closed society during the Soviet era. About 93% of all those blind and visually impaired who are employed work in their own organisation's enterprises and establishments and only 7% in open society.

After the restoration of Lithuanian independence and the restructuring of the Lithuanian economy from a planned to a free market economy, the products produced by the blind couldn't compete and within several years, thousands of blind people were unemployed.

It was necessary to find an alternative in order to assure an occupation for the blind, especially the young.

The experience of many countries, especially those in the Far East, prompted Lithuania to follow their example and channel the blind into becoming masseurs.

During the previous 20 years, only a few (14) of Lithuania's blind had acquired this speciality because there had been no possibility of acquiring it in Lithuania and only a limited number were able to study in Kislovodsk Russia at the solitary medical school preparing blind masseurs (only 1-2 places being allotted, studies lasting for 2.5 years far from their families, the age being limited to only those under 30, and only the totally blind being accepted first, thus, limiting the possibility of those who were the visually impaired to also study).

With the achievement of a LASS Lithuanian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired initiative, Vilnius Medical School (VAMM) in Lithuania established a speciality for masseurs available only to the blind and visually impaired.

It is symbolical that the resolution to begin preparing blind masseurs in Lithuania was passed just 9 days from date of an important historical event, the passing of the Lithuanian Independence Act in the Lithuanian Parliament on 11 March 1990.  Thus, the blind and visually impaired have for 10 years, as of this year, been able to acquire in their own country a diploma as a masseur.

The school accepts requests to study only from those individuals recommended by LASS. There are no age restrictions or requirements to pass an entrance examination.

Basic studies last 3 years (until 1996, the academic programme was for 2 years.)

  Some statistics

During these 10 years, 108 individuals with impaired vision have acquired a profession as a masseur at VAMM or Љiauliai AMM, which established this speciality in 1991:

34 were totally blind and 74 visually impaired;

36 were women and 72 men;

43 were under 29, 48, 30-39, and 17, 40-49.

84 work in state healthcare establishments,

17 have their own private practices (have founded individual enterprises) and

7 are unemployed (due to health, family circumstances or studying at institutions of higher education).

Of those working in healthcare establishments, about 70% also work privately because the salary in their primary workplace is extremely small.

 Problems, how can we try to solve them?

Those masseurs who are blind or visually impaired are good specialists and the patients are satisfied with the procedures performed by them.  However, no matter how good their initial professional preparation is, without further professional development, they cannot be expected to be the best.  And that is necessary in order to successfully compete in the labour market because the laws of the Republic of Lithuania provide no right of preference in state healthcare establishments for the hiring of blind and visually impaired masseurs.  Although the Social Integration of Invalids Law of the Republic of Lithuania provides employers, who have created work places for invalids, a subsidy from the moneys of the Employment Fund, nevertheless, the existing complicated procedures for using the moneys from the Employment Fund do not encourage employers, especially in the non-manufacturing sector, to create work places for invalids.  In addition, any impaired individual who has created his/her own work place for example, have founded a private business, except someone working under the tax privileges of a patent, does not receive any support from the state.  And, as of the beginning of 2000, those invalids who have their own individual enterprises have to pay additional social insurance taxes.

Those masseurs, who are visually impaired, can also formally attend courses for upgrading their qualifications, which courses are organised for masseurs and financed with money from the state budget.  But only a small portion of the visually impaired make use of these courses.  They are, however, entirely unsuitable for the totally bind.  In addition, these courses, according to their level of instruction, are more suitable for those specialists, who received their qualification as a masseur after a 2-4 month course, whereas the preparation of the visually impaired lasts 3 years (up to 1996, 2 years).

In order to defend their rights, improve professionally and protect their work places, the blind and visually impaired masseurs of Lithuania, with help of the umbrella organisation, the Lithuanian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired (LASS), themselves founded their own organisation, lasMeda.  The organisation was registered on 31 Dec. 1996 and can already boast of three years experience.

What is lasmeda and what does it do?

The Lithuanian Society of Blind and Visually Impaired Medical Workers (abbreviated LASMEDA) is a public, non-profit organisation, the members of which can be masseurs, kinesitherapists, physiotherapists and other representatives of the medical professions, who have a vision disability.  All the LASMEDA members meet once a year to discuss the results of their activities and plans for the future.  A board, which organises the Society's activities between general meetings, is elected to a two-year term.

LASMEDA has 70 members, of which:>

24 are totally blind, and 46, visually impaired;

26 women and 44 men;

its members come from 13 Lithuanian cities;

and their ages range from 22 to 55;

          LASMEDA:

- Strives to upgrade the qualifications of those masseurs who are blind and visually impaired.  For this purpose, it has invited highly qualified lecturers: during a 3-year period, courses with 6 themes were organised: 11 groups have finished the 72-hour course and 5 groups, the 36-hour one.

- Provides support through the purchase of massage room equipment, other things necessary for work (devises for measuring blood pressure, electronic recording equipment, tape recorders for reading recorded books, etc. that are all adapted for the visually impaired.); for three years, it has purchased various equipment, which LASMEDA members have acquired on easy terms (instalments).

- Strives to obtain, translate, publish, and record literature on methodology in the speciality and to produce videotapes of massage methods.

- Helps to obtain licences for undertaking private medical massage activities.

- Helps its members to prepare for certificate examinations to obtain a qualification category.

- Provides various information on current questions connected with the profession.

- Strives to popularise the profession of masseur as one of the most suitable for people having visual disabilities.  Events (for example, free massages) are organised through the International White Cane Day and information about blind masseurs, their capabilities and problems are widely distributed in the mass media.

        LASMEDA's funds consist of:

-         LASMEDA membership fees and

-         State budgetary funds. It obtains these funds through LASS, an umbrella organisation for the blind, with which LASMEDA collaborates in carrying out a state rehabilitation and social integration programme for the visually disabled.

Gydomasis Masazas

Therapeutic Massage

Labdariu str. 5,  LT-01120,  Vilnius, Lithuania 

Phone/fax;  370 5 2627056
E-mail:  info@lasmeda.w3..lt  Web:  http://lasmeda.w3.lt

LASMEDA - 2005