More nontraditional therapies for Alzheimer's

7. Massage therapy for Alzheimer's patients

Perhaps one of the most unexpected therapies for someone with Alzheimer's disease is massage therapy. In all people, the healing power of touch is well documented. It can trigger the relaxation response, lower blood pressure, and reduce the pain of chronic diseases. Few studies have been done on massage for Alzheimer's patients, but so far it's been found to reduce episodes of wandering and other agitated behaviors associated with anxiety. Massage can also help people with the disease sleep better, ease muscle pain and tightness, and ward off depression. Massage therapy is sometimes combined with aromatherapy (see below).

• What you can do: Ask the person you're caring for if she'd like to try it. Someone who's apprehensive or has never had massage may want to start with hand, foot, or back rubs. Massage therapy only works when the person feels at ease with it. She may be very sensitive to touch or may feel uncomfortable with a stranger or even a family member touching her in this way. Be sure that if you hire a professional massage therapist, she knows that her client has dementia. Realize that you don't have to sign her up for a full body massage in order to harness the benefits of the power of touch: Hug her, hold hands, touch her gently when you talk to her.
  

8. Aromatherapy Alzheimer's patients

The use of essential oils from flowers and other plants to treat physical and mental disorders has a long history dating back thousands of years. Certain scents appear to work directly on connections in the brain to create associated responses. Scented oils can be applied directly to the skin (in diluted form) during massage, burned to release their scent into the air, or placed in bathwater. Some nursing facilities use aromatherapy to calm residents. This therapy hasn't been well studied with Alzheimer's, and as the disease progresses the sense of smell is often impaired, so it's unclear whether people with advanced Alzheimer's can benefit from it.

• What you can do: The relaxing and stimulating powers of scents may be worth trying at home if you find the idea appealing. Even familiar scents like chocolate chip cookies or pine needles can trigger happy memories.

Common scents used in aromatherapy include:

Lemon balm (reduced agitation in Alzheimer's patients in one British study)

Lavender oil (induces relaxation)

Jasmine (boosts alertness)