Sometimes we get so focused on the nuts-and-bolts of senior care, such as diet and meal support, or ensuring their home is safe and accessible – we forget about the peripheral ways to support elderly family members and clients. Aromatherapy offers multiple benefits for seniors, as well as their caregivers.
Aromatherapy can be used for relaxation and sleep support, for pain relief or to relieve inflammation, to improve the mood, or to infuse our living spaces with favorite smells.
Integrate Aromatherapy Into Your Senior Care Plan
Here are some of the ways to integrate aromatherapy into your senior care plan.
Start with an aromatherapy diffuser
Perhaps one of the simplest and easiest ways to use aromatherapy is to diffuse appealing scents into a room. Diffusers are affordable, and our favorites are the ones that utilize a liquid humidifier to distribute the smell. Those are especially beneficial this time of year when the air tends to be drier. Moisture-based diffusers also aid in relieving chest congestion and dry sinus passages, another common ailment for seniors since they are easily dehydrated.
Visit mindbodygreen.com’s post, Essential Oil Diffusion: Everything You Need to Know, for more information, and to decide which diffuser style is best for you.
Mood elevation
Finally, aromatherapy can support mood elevation, helping to relieve depression and anxiety. The diffuser is an ally hear as well since the continued inhalation of the oils typically has the most strong effect on mood-boosting. Read Medical News Daily’s post on Essential Oils for Depression, which includes evidence from clinical studies.
Oils to consider to alleviate depression, and elevate the mood, are:
- Lavender
- Bergamot
- Yuzu
- Rose otto
- Roman chamomile geranium
- Sage
- Jasmine
- Rosemary
Boost immunity
Once you connect with a local health food store that carries essential oils or a qualified aromatherapy specialist, you’ll have access to a wealth of information about scents and their specific benefits.
Essential oils come in various formats and types, used in diffusers, added to smoothies, rubbed onto the skin or ingested in pellet form (never consume an essential oil unless you’ve checked the product with your senior’s healthcare provider) to boost immunity. Diffused versions are making their way into schools, offices, and other public buildings in addition to homes.
Some of the most common essential oils for immunity-boosting purposes are lavender, lemon, eucalyptus (helpful for stuffy/congestion), rosemary, tea tree, clove, and others. You can also look for immunity boosting-specific blends, such as On Guard, Thieves Blend, or Immunity.
Relieve arthritis pain and inflammation
There are different grades and types of essential oils, and some of them can be applied topically, mixed with a carrier oil (coconut, almond, olive, etc.), or blended into a salve. When applied topically, they relieve pain and inflammation without the use of harsh or synthetic chemicals. Plus, the scents are often less intrusive, and more appealing than many OTC products.
Read this Eden Garden article, Should I Diffuse or Topically Apply Essential Oil, to review the difference. Again, it’s worthwhile to check into a local health food store or herbal apothecary when you are first starting out. Essential oils are distilled and very potent, so you only want to apply essential oils that are specifically intended for topical application, or it can lead to itching, a burning sensation, or an undesirable skin reaction.
Aiding digestion
The combination of aging and medication reactions/side-effects can negatively impact digestion. You can mix essential oils such as marjoram, ginger, chamomile, or digestion-specific blends into a carrier oil and gently massage it right onto the abdomen. This provides comfort and can relieve indigestion.
Stress relief, relaxation, and sleep support
Another popular benefit of aromatherapy for seniors and their caregivers is stress relief, relaxation, and sleep support. Typically, diffusers are the best ways to administer essential oils for relaxation, to reduce stress or to support sleep because inhaling them provides quick access to the nervous system.
Some of the essential oils known for their relaxing and sleep-supportive properties are:
- Lavender
- Valerian
- Clary sage
- Sweet marjoram
- Roman Chamomile
- Bergamot
- Ylang Ylang
- Sleep- or relaxation-specific blends
When mixed with a carrier oil, these can be gently rubbed and massaged into the feet, hands, shoulders, back, forehead, etc., which provides double the relaxing benefits.
Improve mental alertness
While essential oils can reverse dementia or Alzheimer’s, certain oils and their scents boost mental alertness. Some of these include lemon and lemongrass, rosemary, peppermint, basil, and clementine. As with other target-benefits, there are also blends available to promote mental alertness, focus, and concentration.
Notice that the bulk of the oils associated with mental alertness are found in the garden? Consider adding aromatic herbs and citrus fruits into the garden plan. The leaves or flesh of the fruit can be pressed between the fingers and inhaled right from the garden.
The good news is that aromatherapy for seniors also benefits their caregivers too, many of whom suffer from similar ailments due to the hard work and energy demands associated with caregiving.
Call Us For A Free Assessment
Are you interested in working with a senior home care agency that provides the full-spectrum of senior-centered support? Contact the team here at HomeAide Home Care. We provide licensed caregivers and personalized care in homes, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes.
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