Effects of Tactile Massage in Improving Older Residents' Psychological Health in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Background: Loneliness, anxiety and depressive symptoms are common among older residents in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), which can negatively impact their quality of life and increase mortality rates. Addressing these psychological health issues is an important task for nursing staff. There is a need for easy and accessible interventions to improve older residents' negative emotions. Tactile massage (TM) is a form of touch therapy that induces oxytocin, which can help individuals feel relaxed, experience pleasure and reduce anxiety. TM can also provide a sense of security and care for individuals. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of TM in improving older residents' psychological health in LTCFs. Design: In this study, we applied a two-arm randomised controlled trial research design. Methods: We used convenience sampling to enrol 55 older residents in three long-term care facilities who were randomly assigned to an intervention group and a comparison group. The intervention group received TM by research assistants on both hands for 15 min per time, twice a week for 4 weeks and the comparison group received regular care. Data were collected before and after the intervention. Generalised estimating equations (GEEs) were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. Results: There were no significant differences in loneliness, anxiety, depressive symptoms, happiness, ear temperature, heart rate or diastolic blood pressure between the two groups after the intervention. However, the intervention group had significant improvements in comfort (B = 0.86, p < 0.001), relaxation (B = 1.00, p < 0.001), respiratory rate (B = −0.16, p = 0.021) and systolic blood pressure (B = − 4.17, p = 0.002) compared to the control group. Conclusions: TM can help older residents who live in LTCFs feel relaxed and comfortable. Implications for Practice: TM can be easily implemented as it requires no tools. We recommend that nursing staff and healthcare professionals incorporate TM as part of their care routines. They also can encourage family members to perform TM on residents during their visits to enhance residents' comfort and relaxation. Reporting Method: The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist was used for this paper. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05052138). © 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.