In 2012, Harris, et. al., aimed to investigate the potential benefits of a brief 3-minute slow-stroke back massage (SSBM) on the total duration of nighttime sleep among individuals aged 65 years and older, living with dementia, and experiencing sleep disturbances in nursing homes.

Conducted as a pilot randomized controlled trial, the study involved 40 participants who were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 20) receiving the 3-minute SSBM or a control group (n = 20) receiving routine bedtime care. Actigraphy data, collected over a 48-hour period, was used to assess sleep-related variables at both the baseline and post-intervention stages.

Descriptive statistics revealed a notable increase of 36 minutes in nighttime sleep duration for participants in the SSBM intervention group, with a total of 46.1 minutes of sleep, compared to the control group, which exhibited an increase of only 10.32 minutes. However, the analysis of covariance did not identify statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups concerning nighttime sleep duration (F(1, 37) = 1.90, p = .18, partial η(2) = .05), or any other sleep-related variables.

While the results of this preliminary study suggest the potential of SSBM as a beneficial nursing intervention for improving sleep in individuals with dementia residing in nursing homes, further research is required to establish conclusive findings. Specifically, future dose-finding studies should be conducted to determine the optimal duration of SSBM required to promote sleep effectively in this population. This study highlights the need for more comprehensive investigations to substantiate the role of SSBM in enhancing the quality of sleep among individuals with dementia in nursing home settings.

Reference: Harris, M., Richards, K. C., & Grando, V. T. (2012). The effects of slow-stroke back massage on minutes of nighttime sleep in persons with dementia and sleep disturbances in the nursing home: a pilot study. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 30(4), 255-263.