Physical restraints and antipsychotics are frequently used to manage disruptive behaviours displayed by people with dementia living in long-term care [1,2]. Both forms of restraint can increase the risk of falls, extrapyramidal symptoms, cerebrovascular adverse events, and metabolic syndrome [3]. Several complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities have received attention as being potentially useful in the management of disruptive behaviours in people with dementia. Aromatherapy and hand massage offer an alternative approach to the risk of pharmacological intervention such as antipsychotics.
Aromatherapy can be absorbed through application to the skin or through the respiratory system. There is an assumption that the aroma and the constituents in the essential oil enter the bloodstream and combine to result in a psychological and physiological response [4]. Aromatherapy used to reduce agitated behaviours in people with dementia has predominately focused on essential oils believed to have a calming and sedative effect. Such studies have commonly used either Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) or Lavender essential oil. It is believed that Lavender oil exerts a direct action on tryptophan, and helps the relaxation response [5].