Citation

Sakamoto Y, Ebihara S, Ebihara T, Tomita N, Toba K, Freeman S, Arai H, Kohzuki M. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 2012; 60(6): 1005-1011.

Affiliation

Department of Internal Medicine and Rehabilitation Science, Tohoku University, Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Nursing, Fukusima Medical University, Fukusima, Japan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1532-5415.2012.03977.x

PMID

22646853

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of lavender olfactory stimulation intervention on fall incidence in elderly nursing home residents. DESIGN: Randomized placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Three randomly selected nursing homes in northern Japan. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and forty-five nursing home residents aged 65 and older. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly assigned to the lavender (n = 73) or placebo group (n = 72) for a 360-day study period. The lavender group received continuous olfactory stimulation from a lavender patch. The placebo group received an unscented patch. MEASUREMENT: The primary outcome measure was resident falls. Other measurements taken at baseline and 12 months included functional ability (assessed using the Barthel Index), cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)), and behavioral and psychological problems associated with dementia (Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI)). RESULTS: There were fewer fallers in the lavender group (n = 26) than in the placebo group (n = 36) (hazard ratio (HR)=0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.34-0.95) and a lower incidence rate in the lavender group (1.04 per person-year) than in the placebo group (1.40 per person-year) (incidence rate ratio = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.30-0.88). The lavender group also had a significant decrease in CMAI score (P = .04) from baseline to follow-up in a per protocol analysis. CONCLUSION: Lavender olfactory stimulation may reduce falls and agitation in elderly nursing home residents; further research is necessary to confirm these findings.

Language: en