E-Newsletter:
The Dementia Issue (09/09)
The latest studies show the effects of Reiki and other energy medicine on dementia, so this month's e-newsletter introduces this cognitive condition that affects many elderly people.
Reiki May Reduce Pain and Anxiety for Dementia Patients
Reiki Master/Teacher Beverly Meland published case reports on her experience with six dementia patients at Great Opportunities Adult Day Services in Skokie. Northwestern University approved the study, which found that patients experienced less pain and anxiety after a 20-minute Reiki session. The group was not large enough for the results to be statistically significant, but staff members and caregivers were glad to see "their loved ones less anxious, less depressed, and less irritable."
Published in the July-August 2009 Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine
Energy Healing May Reduce Restlessness and Stress Hormone Levels
Therapeutic Touch (TT) research from the School of Nursing at the University of California Los Angeles confirms these outcomes. This rigorous 64-participant double blind randomized control trial included an experimental group, a placebo sham-treatment group and a control group. Restlessness, a behavioral symptom of dementia, was significantly reduced in the experimental group, and the levels of stress hormone cortisol in participants' saliva differed significantly across groups and across ABAB design time periods.
Published in June 2009 Forschende Komplementärmedizin
More Information About Dementia
Dementia is a descriptive term for serious loss of two or more brain functions. Dementia is most often caused by Alzheimer's disease or a series of small strokes (called vascular dementia), but other medical conditions and medication side effects can also cause dementia.
Forgetfulness is often the first symptom, but memory problems alone are not a basis for a dementia diagnosis. A consistent schedule and writing things down can help people cope with mild dementia. People with severe dementia usually require round-the-clock care.
Behavioral symptoms like restlessness and aggression are thought to stem from confusion and frustration over cognitive limitations, but some people with dementia experience hallucinations or delusions. Antipsychotic medications may help in these cases, but usually treatment is focused on the underlying disease causing dementia.
If you or someone you know may have dementia, you should visit a healthcare professional. Cognitive tests and brain scans are commonly used to diagnose dementia. Other tests may be ordered depending on the underlying condition the doctor suspects is causing dementia.
Thanks for reading! I find my research at PubMed. Email me for energy healing research publication details.
Anna Schibrowsky
Chicago Healing Studio
