Aromatherapy and Reminiscence Are Helpful for Dementia, Study Shows Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Dementia Aromatherapy and Reminiscence Therapy Are Helpful for Dementia Study Shows Research shows these complementary therapies improve mood and quality of life in individuals living with dementia. By Brian P. DunleavyReviewed: September 27, 2021Fact-CheckedCertain complementary therapies, including aromatherapy, can be calming and pleasurable for individuals affected by dementia.Marti Sans/Stocksy People with dementia, their families, and their caregivers who are looking for ways to maintain a high quality of life while managing the condition have some new options at their disposal. An analysis published in April 2021 by the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry has found that aromatherapy with essential oils and reminiscence therapy can help reduce stress and agitation and improve the overall outlook of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Those who used these approaches along with exercise also had some improvement in cognitive function, though they did not see a significant improvement in other symptoms, the researchers wrote. Improvement in Quality of Life Still Possible for Those With Dementia “Our study shows that improvements in cognitive function and quality of life might still be possible in moderate to severe dementia, and this implies that future treatments can focus on improvement, even for those in advanced stages,” says Esther Hui, a PhD candidate in clinical, educational, and health psychology at University College London and a coauthor of the study. “Improved cognitive function can enhance functional abilities, communication, and interpersonal relationships, which allows for a better quality of life,” Hui says.The results are based on a review of data from 74 studies that collectively enrolled nearly 1,200 people with dementia living in the United Kingdom, Italy, Argentina, Norway, Korea, Greece, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Spain. The frequency and duration of therapy sessions varied from study to study, but most typically involved twice-weekly appointments lasting roughly 45 minutes to an hour. Aromatherapy Can Have a Calming Effect Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic essential oils from plants to promote well-being through scent, according to Dementia UK. The scents are released when the oils are warmed in oil burners, added to baths, dripped onto pillows and tissues, or infused into creams and massaged into the skin. In people with dementia, the approach has been shown to reduce stress and improve sleep, Dementia UK notes. “Aromatherapy can stimulate emotional pathways in the brain through smell,” says Abraham “Ab” Brody, PhD, RN, an associate director of New York University’s Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing in New York City, who was not involved in the new study. “Using a calming aroma, such as lavender, can help calm a person living with dementia and allow for greater positive experiences and quality of life.” RELATED: What You Need to Know About Essential Oils and Alzheimer’s Disease Positive Memories Improve Mood Reminiscence or life-review therapy is a form of talk therapy that encourages people to revisit moments from their past, according to the Elder Care Alliance. It engages the five senses — sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound — to help people with dementia remember events, people, and places from their past. “Reminiscence therapy works by helping individuals remember and go through memories from their past, whether through pictures, music, reading from old journals, or sharing of stories,” Dr. Brody says. “These positive memories can enhance cognition and mood in people living with dementia, thus also improving their quality of life.” Nondrug Therapies Have an Important Role in Dementia Treatment In the studies included in the analysis by Hui and her colleagues, participants who engaged in these approaches with caregivers reported more positive feelings and reduced stress and agitation. Agitation causes people with dementia to become irritable or restless as a result of memory problems or confusion and is common in those with the condition, the UK’s Alzheimer’s Society says. It’s important to note that these are complementary therapies, meaning they don’t replace medical treatments for dementia and should be used only if they appear to bring some pleasure or calm to the person being treated, the society emphasizes. “These findings further reinforce that nonpharmacologic methods work to help improve quality of life in people living with moderate to severe dementia,” Brody notes. “However, our care system is focused toward overmedicalization and utilization of medications that don’t work well and have significant side effects. What we need now is to help clinicians and families alike see that the answer, right now, is not in a pill but in the way we engage people living with dementia as individuals.” RELATED: Drug and Nondrug Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Healthy Living Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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