Easing pain
Relief for aching or tight muscles and tender joints, such as a stiff neck, tense shoulders or a sore lower back.
Private home care · Ottawa
In-Home Massage Therapy in Ottawa
A Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) treats pain and stiffness in muscles and joints at the client's home, working from a care plan that a Registered Nurse (RN) writes.
Care management is available in English and French, and a nurse is on call 24/7.
Free in-home assessment. No obligation.
Nurse-Led Care
Who Plans and Delivers Each Session
Integracare, a Canadian home care company, has been in business since 1991. In Ottawa, a Registered Nurse writes each client's care plan.
Massage is given by an RMT, one of several professionals who carry out visits under that plan. The others are personal support workers (PSWs), Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) and physiotherapists, and each is matched to the client.
Kristine McGinn leads Integracare in Ottawa, a role backed by a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) and more than 25 years in health care.
Talk through your optionsOntario Regulation
What the Letters RMT Tell You
Massage therapy is a regulated health profession in Ontario. Only people registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) may use the titles Registered Massage Therapist or Massage Therapist, or put RMT or MT after their names. The 2 titles are equivalent.
CMTO works under 2 provincial laws: the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 and the Massage Therapy Act, 1991. The second Act defines the work as assessing the body's soft tissue (such as muscles and tendons) and joints, then using manipulation to treat or prevent problems there. It names 2 aims: building, keeping or restoring physical function, and relieving pain.
To check a therapist, use Find an RMT, the College's public search. A listing shows contact information, practice location, registration details, language, gender and conduct history.
Who It Helps
Massage for Comfort, Movement and Palliative Care
The nurse's assessment sets what massage should aim for. The RMT then examines the muscles and joints and works toward that goal.
Keeping movement
Hands-on work to maintain or rebuild physical function in areas that have stiffened.
Living with serious illness
For a person receiving palliative care at home, the RMT keeps the pressure light and the sessions gentle, with comfort and dignity as the focus.
Treatment without the trip
For anyone who finds getting to a clinic tiring or hard to arrange, the RMT comes to the house.
Getting Started
From Your First Call to the First Session
Massage starts once a nurse has met the client at home.
Call the Ottawa office
Phone (613) 212-7567 or fill in the form at the bottom of this page. Tell us who the massage is for and what has been bothering them.
The nurse's visit
A Registered Nurse assesses the client before any care begins.
Setting the goals
The RN writes the care plan and records what massage is meant to help with.
Choosing the therapist
A massage therapist matched to the client carries out the sessions under that plan.
Staying on track
The RN reviews the plan as health needs shift, and a nurse can be reached 24/7 between visits.
Paying for Massage
Insurance and Receipts
CMTO notes that many insurance plans cover massage therapy. For a claim to go through, the receipt must show the RMT's signature and College registration number, plus the date, the names of the client and the RMT, and the amount.
Call the insurer before the first appointment and ask what the policy pays toward massage therapy and what paperwork it needs.
Integracare's massage sessions are paid privately. Ask us at the assessment for the receipt details your insurer needs.
Alongside Other Care
Massage as Part of a Wider Plan
Massage joins the same RN-written plan as any PSW or physiotherapy visits.
A client who already has a PSW for meals, errands and light housekeeping keeps the same nurse in charge when massage is added.
For rehabilitation, a registered physiotherapist can come to the house, assess the person and set out a treatment program for strength, balance, flexibility and mobility.
Ask the Ottawa Team About Massage Therapy
Call or book an assessment, and a Registered Nurse will visit to work out whether massage fits the plan.
Common Questions
Massage Therapy Questions From Ottawa Families
Does the massage therapist come to our home?
Yes. The RMT treats the client in the house or apartment, anywhere in the Ottawa region that Integracare serves. Nobody has to drive to a clinic or sit in a waiting room.
How do I confirm that a massage therapist is registered?
Ask for the therapist's full name, then look it up in Find an RMT on the CMTO website. In Ontario, a person missing from that list may not use the title RMT.
Do insurance plans cover RMT visits at home?
Many do, according to CMTO. Keep every receipt, and make sure it carries the RMT's signature and College registration number, since a claim needs both.
Is massage offered to someone receiving palliative care?
Yes. The RMT works gently, with comfort as the goal, and the RN overseeing the care plan decides where those sessions fit.
Who decides how often the RMT comes?
The Registered Nurse responsible for the care plan sets the massage schedule and adjusts it when the client's health changes.
Can we speak with the nurse in French?
Yes. Integracare Ottawa provides care management and nursing supervision in French as well as English.
What if pain gets worse between massage sessions?
Phone (613) 212-7567. A nurse is on call 24/7 and can review the care plan with you.
Other Services
More Care in Ottawa
Home Care in Ottawa
Physiotherapy in Ottawa
Palliative Care in Ottawa
Personal Support Workers in Ottawa
Nursing Care in Ottawa
Dementia Care in Ottawa
We also provide massage therapy in Greater Toronto and massage therapy in Winnipeg.
Free In-Home Assessment
Contact Integracare Ottawa About Massage Therapy
Tell us what you need. A nurse will contact you within one business day.
343 Preston Street, Suite 1104, Ottawa, ON K1S 1N4
Prefer to talk?
Ottawa(613) 212-7567 ↗We serve families across the Ottawa region. See the areas we cover
Clinically reviewed by Bethel McMaster, BScN, RN ·