Members article
By E. Joy Bowles BSc. © dementiacareinternational
After the longest winter night has passed, and the days are lengthen, many people feel a resurgence of vitality, perhaps akin to the sap rising in plants, like they are getting ready for spring blooming. However, this is not always automatic and sometimes winter hibernation seems difficult to shake off. Other things can also drain our vitality, like emotional distress, boredom or a lack of purpose in life.
For people living in controlled environments, such as residential aged care facilities, these issues can become particularly poignant as they have to abide by the ‘rules’ to some extent, and are not as free as they may once have been to run their own lives. While facilities often provide group activities and entertainment, these may not always satisfy the needs of people to feel special and as though life is worth living. This in turn can cause a sort of perpetual state of ‘hibernation’ or depression, which robs them of their joy and vitality.
Aromatherapy can be used to help people regain the ‘spring’ in their step, either through using essential oils themselves, or by receiving regular treatments from nursing staff or visitors. The intentional use of a fragrance can change a person’s mood immediately and if it lingers on throughout the day, the initial pleasure experienced when it is applied can be recaptured each time the scent wafts past the nose again. This is one reason why we use perfumes and after-shaves – to make ourselves feel good.
However, aromatherapy offers greater benefits than just the delight of beautiful aromas. For instance, certain types of essential oil actually seem to increase a person’s alertness, and others seem to counteract depression with a slightly euphoric effect. While scientific research is slow to validate the reasons why essential oils have these effects, experimentation with aromatherapy will soon reveal whether it is useful for a certain person or not. Another benefit of the deliberate application of aromatherapy is the time spent intentionally caring for the other person or one’s self. This pampering can increase peoples’ self-esteem and make them feel special.
The most noted ‘spring restoring’ oils tend to come from the citrus family, in particular Bergamot (Citrus bergamia). Another popular choice is Mandarin (Citrus reticulata). Although I have heard two or three anecdotes from facilities using this oil that suggest it should be used only in individual doses, and not vaporised into public areas, as it tends to have an overly euphoric effect on staff as well as residents resulting in giggling and inability to concentrate etc! Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) is another which can produce euphoric effects, but it doesn’t seem to work with everybody, and should not be used when a person has consumed alcohol as bad dreams can occur.
Probably the best way to use these oils to lift mood is to blend 5 drops in a teaspoon of vegetable oil or lotion, and apply it to a person’s neck and upper chest so that the aromas can evaporate throughout the day. If the person uses a hanky, apply 1 or 2 drops of the neat oil directly onto the cloth (check first if the person likes the smell!), so they smell the aroma each time they use it.
Paying attention to arthritic joints is another way to put the ‘spring’ back into a person’s step. Several essential oil companies put out a pre-mixed blend to alleviate joint pain, and this can save time and prove more economical. Alternatively, use up to a total of 5 drops of a mixture of Rosemary, Black Pepper, Ginger, Juniper and Eucalyptus, blended according to smell preference, in a teaspoon of vegetable oil or lotion. Rub the affected joint with the oil or lotion, checking with the person if the rubbing is too hard or too gentle, and repeat as often as possible until the pain eases. These oils have a stimulating odour as well, which can help lift the person’s mood too. In fact, all the above oils lift our spirits and open the door to let winter out and welcome in spring.