Feasibility of Training and Delivering Compassionate Touch in Long-Term Care

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Limited evidence supports the use of therapeutic touch for people with dementia (PWD). Interventions incorporating a person-centered approach to touch delivered by staff may benefit PWD and staff in long-term care settings. The Compassionate Touch^® (CT) program provides skilled human touch and a compassionate presence following a person-centered approach and touch protocol. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of training and delivering CT.

Methods: An online survey was sent via email to 112 staff who attended the CT coach training. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze closed-and open-ended questions of the survey.

Results: Twenty-four staff members completed the survey and reported positive perspectives about the training, use of the program, and benefits for PWD and themselves. Five themes emerged, including (1) benefits for residents, (2) challenges in using CT, (3) when to use CT, (4) training staff, and (5) needed support.

Conclusions: Preliminary findings from the present research show potential benefits of using the CT program for residents, challenges participants faced in using the program and training other staff, and support needed to overcome these challenges.

Clinical Implications: Programs such as CT may benefit PWD and staff in residential care settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• caregivers
• dementia
• long-term care
• massage therapy
• surveys and questionnaires
• therapeutic touch

Acknowledgments

We appreciate the support of AGE-u-cate Training Institute for the research process. We really appreciate all the survey respondents in volunteering for the present study. The research project of this paper was supported by 2016–2017 Chancellor’s Research Fellowship program at Texas Woman’s University. Dr. Kunik’s contribution to this work was supported with resources and the use of facilities at the Houston VA HSR&D Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (CIN13-413). The opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. government or Baylor College of Medicine.

Funding

This work was supported by the 2016–2017 Chancellor’s Research Fellowship program at Texas Woman’s University.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the 2016–2017 Chancellor’s Research Fellowship program at Texas Woman’s University.