Alzheimer's: Massage/touch therapy can yield positive effects for most patients - The Advocate

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Are massage or touch therapies beneficial to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease?

Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo once said, “To touch is to give life.”

Scientists and studies have long found that people of all ages who are regularly touched tend to be less anxious, recover from illness more quickly, and feel safer and more nurtured.


Some research has found that for individuals with Alzheimer’s, human touch plays an integral role in promoting overall well-being. Just five minutes of hand massage, for instance, can induce a physical relaxation response and reduce levels of cortisol, a hormone released during times of stress. Massage/touch therapy has been found to raise levels of serotonin, a neurochemical that promotes feelings of calm and reduces anxiety.








Massage and touch have been suggested as nonpharmacological interventions to other treatments offered to reduce and/or manage a range of conditions associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia-related disorders, such as anxiety, agitated behaviors and depression. Although the available reliable evidence supports the use of massage and touch, it is so limited in scope that it is not possible to draw general conclusions about the total benefits in these therapies for those with Alzheimer’s or dementia-related disorders.


Nonetheless, a 2002 study by R. Remington found that using calm music and hand massage techniques reduced verbal agitation, and this benefit was sustained for up to one hour. Additionally, a 1995 study conducted by Snyder et al. studied individuals with aggressive and nonaggressive forms of agitation. Hand massage/touch therapies were performed for five minutes in the mornings and afternoons for 10 days, and results showed that these interventions decreased the frequency and intensity of agitated behaviors during morning care routines, but not during evening care.








According to Ann Catlin, founder of the Center for Compassionate Touch and an expert in the field of massage therapy in elder care and hospice, “People with Alzheimer’s disease don’t lose the capacity for human emotion or recognition of a caring touch. There are several benefits massage therapy offers people with Alzheimer’s disease, including increased body awareness and alertness, as well as a reduction in the feelings of confusion and anxiety. You also build reassurance and trust and help calm agitation.”


Additionally, Catlin believes that massage therapy can also help ease the effects of isolation, loneliness and boredom while encouraging feelings of worthiness and well-being.


Though the benefits of massage/touch therapy promote healthy outcomes, there is a cautionary nature in offering this activity to all individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Some affected individuals respond very well to others touching them and massaging their hands, for instance. Others, however, could have a negative response. They are afraid of touch, i.e., those affected individuals whose long-term memories relate touch to emotional and/or physical pain such as from former abuse or neglect. Therefore, massage/touch therapy needs to be individualized and person-centered for each affected individual.








No perfect treatment plan is designed for those with Alzheimer’s disease, yet massage/touch therapies can provide viable nonpharmacological interventions and increase quality of life, curb and calm disruptive behaviors, improve blood circulation levels, and generally lift the individual’s mood and well-being.