Lavandula angustifolia and Melissa officinalis for agitation management in older adults: A mixed method stud

Purpose: This study was completed to provide evidence of effect for Lavender Angustifolia (Lavender) and Melissa Officinalis (Lemon Balm) essential oils as agitation managements for older people with and without a dementia diagnosis living in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs). This research further sought to explore nurse understanding of agitation management and the viability for nurse administered essential oils for behaviour management in residents living in RACFs.;Method: The research was a three-phase sequential design consisting of two phases of semi-structured nurse interviews and a single blind randomised controlled trial [RCT].;Results: This research identified differences in essential oils effect on agitation in residents with dementia and without dementia. Further this study provided evidence for the factors that influence nurse compliance to research as well as the practicality for nurse administration of essential oils as agitation managements for residents in the RACF environment.;Conclusion: These findings support a clinically significant opposing effect of the essential oils Lavender when compared to Lemon Balm in residents with dementia and without dementia. These results indicate that Lemon Balm may be effective in reducing agitation in residents without dementia and less effective in reducing irritability in residents with dementia. Further Lavender may be effective in reducing physical non-aggressive behaviours. Despite a reduction in the resident behaviour with treatment there was no clinically significant decline in agitation when Lavender or Lemon Balm was independently compared to placebo. Nurses maintained strong belief throughout the trial in the ability of the essential oils to reduce agitation in some residents. Facilitators of nurse compliance to research were identified as projects that provided research education were unobtrusive in the RACF environment, routinely timed with effective communication between researchers and nurses. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).