None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study investigated the effect of Aromatherapy (3% lavender angustifolia mist) with or without hand massage (five minutes with aqua cream) on disruptive behaviour in people with dementia living in residential aged care facilities (RACF).
Interventions
Intervention activities are i) Aromatherapy - three sprays of 3% of lavender oil in water on the participant's chest or ii) a combination of aromatherapy and hand massage - 5 minutes of hand massage with 5ml of aqua lotion by trained research assistants. Both activities were given twice a day every day for a period of six weeks (i.e. 84 treatments over 42 days).
Sponsors
Griffith University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
60 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1) Had lived in one of the three participating nursing homes for at least three months 2) Had cognitive function impairment indicative of a dementing condition, e.g. MMSE was 24 out of 30 or below 24 and has the features of Alzheimer’s disease according to DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1991) 3) Had a two-week documented behavioural history of agitation and aggression in past three months 4) Received current physical or chemical restraint for agitation and aggression including P.R.N. (as required) medication 5) Consent had been given by family or a health-attorney for the resident’s participation 6) Had no allergy to lavender oils 7) Had no recent wound on hands that would interfere with hand massage such as skin tears, laceration, and bruises, red and swollen.
Exclusion criteria
1) Had a diagnosis of schizophrenia or mental retardation 2) Had no documented behavioural history in the previous three months 3) Was currently hospitalized 4) Was going to be transferred to another residential facility in 3 months 5) MMSE was higher than 24 out of 30.
Outcome results
None listed