Salivary Gland Massage and Olfactory Stimulation for Relieving Feeding Difficulty and Triggering Oral Intake Among People With Dementia

Sponsor
National Cheng Kung University
Study ID
NCT07678515
Status
Enrolling By Invitation

Conditions

  • Aromatherapy
  • Dementia
  • Dry Mouth
  • Experimental
  • Feeding Difficulty
  • RCT

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
N/A - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • SMART program (Salivary gland massage combined with aromatherapy — OTHER
    The experimental group will receive an intervention comprising salivary gland massage combined with aromatherapy for a total of 20 days.

Study Details

Feeding difficulties are a common issue among individuals with dementia during moderate to advanced stages, particularly those in long-term care (LTC) facilities. Due to severe cognitive and communicative impairment, these residents often have a high dependency on feeding assistance. Consequently, caregivers manage not only refusal to eat and prolonged mealtimes but also the resulting nutritional problems among these patients. The eating process includes the anticipatory phase, during which food is identified via sensory triggers, thereby stimulating saliva secretion. This process facilitates bolus formation and ensures a smooth transition to the swallowing phase. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the efficacy of a dual-sensory intervention, combining salivary gland massage and olfactory stimulation, in improving feeding difficulties and food intake among individuals with moderate-to-severe dementia. This study will employ a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. The experimental group will receive an intervention comprising salivary gland massage combined with aromatherapy for a total of 20 days. Simultaneously, baseline characteristics, including sociodemographic data, health status, and oral moisture, will be collected. Data for the 'Dementia Mealtime Nonverbal Cues' and two-meal intake will be monitored daily on weekdays for two weeks; all other variables will be assessed once. During the intervention period, the experimental procedure will be performed twice daily, prior to lunch and dinner. The control group will receive only a palm massage prior to meals. Throughout the intervention, participants will be assessed for "The Dementia Mealtime Nonverbal Cues" and oral intake during lunch and dinner every weekday. Additionally, oral moisture will be evaluated once weekly (T1-T4). Data will be analyzed using Linear Mixed Models (LMM) to examine the differences and longitudinal changes in outcome measures between the two groups. The findings of this study will contribute to the establishment of a safe, feasible, and culturally appropriate feeding care model for institutionalized individuals with dementia.

Key Dates

First listed
Jul 1, 2026
Start date
Mar 16, 2026
Status verified
Jun 2026
Primary completion
Jun 27, 2026
Completion
Jun 27, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
30 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Arms

  • No Intervention: Control
    Participants in the control group will receive a placebo intervention consisting of a hand massage, accompanied by general greetings and caring interactions, in their daily activity area. This will be conducted before lunch and dinner for four consecutive weeks on weekdays only. To minimize confounding effects, participants will be restricted from exposure to any olfactory or other extraneous sensory stimuli during this 30-minute pre-meal period.
  • Experimental: Experimental Group
    Participants in the experimental group will receive a dual-sensory intervention before lunch and dinner for four consecutive weeks (weekdays only). This consists of a 2-minute salivary gland massage combined with 30 minutes of olfactory stimulation, using 100% lemon essential oil dispersed via a waterless ultrasonic nebulizer.

Primary Outcome Measure

Dementia Feeding Difficulty Cues [ Time Frame: Every lunch and dinner from baseline up to 6 weeks ]

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