Therapeutic massage in older persons: research issues

SP Weinrich, S Haddock, K Robinson

Growing recognition of the importance of holistic nursing interventions is
resulting In a revival in the use of therapeutic massage. Massage
contributes to health and healing through enhancement of relaxation, and is
a safe, caring, and inexpensive Intervention. Therapeutic massage research
using older populations is reviewed for identification of its theoretical
framework, design, outcome variables, sample, procedures, instruments,
analyses and results. To establish a scientific basis for therapeutic massage
in the future, It is critical that nurses include the following key elements in
their research studies: clear definitions; procedures for massage that
include type(s) of massage performed, part of body massaged, and length of
time of massage; and analyses that control for the pre-massage level of the
vatiable of interest. Research variables need to focus on concepts that have
major health consequences such as a^tatlon. Immune status, and pain.

British Journal of Nursing 1999, vol 8, No 3

Full text available in  through MTABC member only website (link) under the research tab and then library.

Filed under: Literature review, Massage Therapy, Research

The Use of Human Touch to Improve the Well-Being of Older Adults: A Holistic Nursing Intervention

Elizabeth Bush

Touch and massage are viable nursing modalities that are both underutilized and understudied.
This underuse of touch is especially noted in settings aimed at improving
the well-being of older adults. Anumber of studies suggest that the appropriate use of
touch by nurses has the potential to significantly improve the health status of older
adults. In particular, touch can be useful with cognitively impaired, institutionalized,
or hospitalized older adults. Likewise, touch can be useful for improving comfort and
communication among terminally ill older adults and their loved ones. This article
synthesizes some of the available literature on the subject while suggesting avenues
for nursing practice and education aimed at using touch as a viable and cost-effective
holistic gerontological nursing intervention.

JOURNAL OF HOLISTIC NURSING, Vol. 19 No. 3, September 2001 256-270 – abstract

DOI: 10.1177/089801010101900306

Filed under: Literature review, Touch