The Use of Aroma-acupoint Therapy and Aromatherapy to Treat Depression in Dementia Patients with Severe Cognitive Impairment

Yang, Man Hua; Li, Lin; Wu, Shiao Chi; Chiu, Jen‐Hwey; Lin, Jaung Geng

doi:10.4172/2167-0412.1000286

Cited by 1 publication

(9 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Sleepiness, nausea, skin irritation, gait instability, and falls were reported by those participants who received a topical application of lavender essential oil [79]. Ten studies [48, 67‒69, 71, 72, 75, 77, 78, 82, 83] reported negligible or no adverse events among the participants who received aromatherapy, and the remaining 9 studies [45, 65, 66, 70, 73, 74, 76, 81, 88] have not assessed the safety of aromatherapy on PWD.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While 3 quantitative studies reported that aromatherapy may have adverse effects [47, 79, 80], 10 reported negligible or no adverse events [48, 67‒69, 71, 72, 75, 77, 78, 82, 83] after completing the aromatherapy program. However, these safety issues were not described in the qualitative studies.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One study delivered aromatherapy 3 times a day for 4 weeks through a combination of 3 times per week massage with essential oil blends by an aromatherapist and a once-a-day inhalation of 6 drops of 100% lavender essential oil through a diffuser by family caregivers at homes [83]. One study (described in 2 articles) involved a daily delivery of 2-min aromatherapy acupressure for 4 weeks using 2.5% lavender essential oil in long-term residential care facilities [48,78]. Two of these studies had 3 or 6 weeks of follow-up [48,69,78].…”

Section: Massagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The intervention duration lasted from 3 days to 4 months, and only one study involved 3 weeks of follow-up. Two studies were delivered in long-term residential care facilities by trained care assistants [80] or nurses [77], 2 studies were delivered in hospital inpatient settings by nurses [65,79], and 1 study was conducted in long-term residential care facilities [48,78] with an unspecified deliverer.…”

Section: Topical Applicationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aromatherapy acts on the body through olfactory stimulation or percutaneous absorption of the chemicals in essential oils [36,[41][42][43] and has been clinically used in BPSD management for over 20 years. Clinical studies show that aromatherapy can improve BPSD symptoms, such as sleep disturbance [44,45], agitation [46,47], depression [47,48], and aggression [49,50], but the theoretical basis for the implementation of this treatment has not been described. A systematic review of 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of aromatherapy on dementia revealed that aromatherapy, except for oral intake, could effectively and safely reduce the frequencies of BPSD among PWD and could be considered a potentially effective strategy for BPSD management [51].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effectiveness and Safety of Aromatherapy in Managing Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review

Chan

et al. 2021

Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord Extra

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Introduction: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) is the most prominent and distressing manifestation for older persons with dementia (PWD) and caregivers. Aromatherapy has demonstrated its effectiveness in managing BPSD in various studies. However, previous studies and systematic reviews have obtained inconsistent findings, and a review of qualitative studies is yet to be conducted. Method: A mixed-methods systematic review with a convergent segregated approach was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of aromatherapy in improving the BPSD and quality of life (QoL) of PWD and in relieving the distress and burden of caregivers, as well as its safety for PWD. Both published and unpublished quantitative and qualitative studies written in English and Chinese between January 1996 and December 2020 were retrieved from 28 databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science, based on the prespecified criteria. The methodological quality was assessed by using critical appraisal tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Quantitative synthesis, qualitative synthesis, and integration of quantitative and qualitative evidence were performed. Results: A total of 12 randomized controlled trials, 10 quasi-experimental studies, and 2 qualitative studies were included in the review. Some inconsistent findings regarding the effectiveness of aromatherapy in reducing the severity of BPSD were observed. Some studies reported that aromatherapy significantly improved the QoL of PWD and relieved the distress and burden of caregivers, promoted a positive experience among caregivers, and had very low adverse effects on PWD (with aromatherapy inhalation reporting no adverse effects). Conclusion: Aromatherapy, especially in the inhalation approach, could be a potentially safe and effective strategy for managing BPSD. However, more structuralized and comparable studies with sufficient sample size, adherence monitoring, and sound theoretical basis could be conducted to obtain conclusive findings.

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