Foot massage may reduce agitation in older people with dementia

January 01, 0001

Foot massage may reduce agitation in older people with dementia

The aim of this study by researchers from Australia was to explore the effects of foot massage on agitated behaviours in older people with dementia living in long-term care. Seventeen men and 5 women (mean age 84.7 years), with a diagnosis of dementia and a history of clinically significant agitation, received a 10-minute foot massage each day for 14 days. The short form of the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI-SF) and the Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist (RMBPC) were completed at baseline, post-test and at 2-week follow up.

CMAI-SF and RMBPC scores were significantly reduced at post-test and remained significantly lower than baseline at follow up.

The researchers concluded: "This study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that limited short-duration foot massage reduces agitation and related behavioural problems in people with dementia, and that these behaviour changes are maintained after the massage ceases. A randomised controlled trial is required to confirm these findings."

Yes, methodological limitations, however, it still sounds an interesting area to further explore.


For the full abstract, click here.

Australasian Journal on Ageing published online 26 April 2011 © 2011 The Authors
Exploring the effect of foot massage on agitated behaviours in older people with dementia: A pilot study. Wendy Moyle, Amy Nicole Burne Johnston and Siobhan Therese O'Dwyer. Correspondence to Wendy Moyle: [email protected]

Category: N. Neurological. Keywords: foot, massage, effect, agitation, dementia, case series, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Stephen Wilkinson, Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 13 May 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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