芳香療法逐漸被應用於健康照護領域；但是，長照機構是否得以應用芳香療法以提升失智老人的健康促進，仍需要更多實證研究來確認其效用。故本研究旨在以長照機構的失智老人為對象，經過一段時間的吸嗅式芳香療法後對健康促進的影響為題進行探討。研究採準實驗法，研究對象為某長照機構65歲以上失智老人，以立意取樣方式選擇非臥床的32名，分為實驗組16名、對照組16名，唯有兩名受試者於實驗中途退出，故本次收案對象為實驗組15名、對照組15名共計30名。本研究程序中，實驗組水氧機內含雪松、佛手柑、薰衣草、檀香複方精油擴香，對照組水氧機內則用純水進行擴香，每周三次每次三十分鐘，共四周十二次芳香療法活動介入；另個案療效之評估採前測、後測，運用腦波評測儀了解受試者的健康促進變化並以統計分析其影響情況。研究結果觀察到不同性別分組中專注力為女性高於男性並達顯著差異，不同失智程度分組裡，中度以上失智老人疲勞程度高於輕度以上並達顯著差異；而施行芳香療法介入後對長照機構失智老人的健康促進影響；在生理(睡眠品質)、心理(放鬆)狀況有達顯著改善，而且輕度失智老人接受芳香療法比中重度失智老人的放鬆效果好。複方精油吸嗅的芳香療法確實可緩解失智老人身心不適感，並可提供長照機構以芳香療法提升失智老人健康促進的實務參考價值。
Although aromatherapy is now being used more frequently in health care, more empirical research is needed to confirm if the long-term use of aromatherapy improves the health of elderly patients with dementia. This study was conducted to determine if using long-term sniff style aromatherapy can improve the health condition of elderly people with dementia.
A quasi-experimental research method was used to study people with dementia who are over 65 years old. We used purposive sampling to select 32 non-ambulatory dementia residents, which subsequently were divided at random into an experimental group of 16 and a control group of 16. Two of the subjects did not follow through with the treatment, and consequently the experimental group contained 15 subjects and the control group contained 15 subjects for a total of 30 subjects. For this research, the experimental group was treated with a fumigation compound that contained cedar, bergamot, lavender, and sandalwood oil, and the control group was treated with a pure water spray. Both groups treated for thirty minutes three times a week for four weeks for a total of 12 treatments.
We assessed the efficacy of the treatment using EEG evaluations both before and after the treatment and used statistical analysis to determine if the treatment was effective. This study showed that sniff aromatherapy oils can relieve the discomfort of both body and psychologically for elderly people with dementia.
