Massage Therapy for Agitation in Dementia Benchmark

Dementia is a progressive disease that eventually results in cognitive and functional decline as well as behavioral and psychological symptoms. Age is a significant risk factor for dementia and due to an increase in longevity, the number of people with dementia is rising. Expanding research on dementia and management interventions should be a priority due to the nature of the disease, its impact on healthcare, and its emotional effect on both the individual and family. Over prescription of medication for behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia has been identified as problem in long-term care facilities. The current practice at many long-term care facilities is prescription of medication for management of agitation despite evidence suggesting non-pharmacological interventions as first line therapy. This benchmark project has identified evidence supporting the effectiveness of implementing massage therapy as a non-pharmacological intervention to improve the quality of life of those with dementia. Additionally, it aims to better educate healthcare providers on the evidence to assist in management of care of those who struggle with agitation associated with dementia