Aromatherapy Versus Pharmaceutical Interventions for Dementia Related Behaviors Translating &amp; Integrating Scholarship Practicum

doi:10.33140/mcr.03.01.02

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils distilled from plants to stimulate olfactory (smell) receptors and activate regions in the brain's limbic region (centre of emotion and memory). Several studies specifically address the use of aromatherapy with dementia, longterm care residents, and/or elders, with results showing some support and recommendations for further study (Her & Cho, 2021;Lakhan, Sheafer & Tepper, 2016;Leach et al, 2021;Viet, 2018;Watson, Hatcher & Good, 2019). Not all studies find a decrease in agitated behaviour or 'dementia symptoms' when using aromatherapy (O'Connor et al, 2013), but Yoshiyama, Arita, and Suzuki (2015) suggest aromatherapy is clinically safe.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Holistic Interventions to Address Pain, Anxiety, and Distressing Behaviours in Long-Term Care Residents

Hovde

Geisler²,

Marinelli³

et al. 2023

Journal of Long Term Care

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Context: Residents experiencing pain, anxiety, and distressing behaviours, often in conjunction with mental health diagnoses and dementia, can be challenging for staff in long-term care facilities and may result in jeopardising resident and staff safety, quality of life, staff delivery of care, and overuse of psychotropic medications.Objective: Describe the effects of three holistic interventions (hand portion of the 'M' Technique®, aromatherapy, and energy healing) to reduce pain, anxiety, and distressing behaviours in long-term care residents.Method: Pragmatic secondary analysis of pre-and post-intervention quantitative and qualitative data.Findings: Staff administered a total of 363 individual sessions using the 'M' Technique® for hands, aromatherapy, and/or energy healing to 75 residents who were able to indicate their pain and/or anxiety levels before and after a session. Results indicate significant differences in decreased pain by session, decreased anxiety by session, decreased pain by person, and decreased anxiety by person. Qualitative results, primarily gathered from an additional 1,024 sessions in which residents were unable to use pain and anxiety scales, indicate a decrease in distressing behaviours and overall improvement of milieu. Limitations:We collected data as part of a quality improvement programme without the intent of being published as a research study. It is difficult to assess the reliability and validity of self-reported quantitative pain and anxiety scales for people with dementia.Implications: Holistic interventions, including the 'M' Technique for hands, aromatherapy, and/or energy healing, show promise in reducing pain, anxiety, and distressing behaviours in residents of long-term care facilities, along with improvements in the facilities' environment.

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