Date of Award
2022
Document Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Nursing (MAN)
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Joyce P. Miller, DNP, RN
Second Advisor
Katherine Martin, Ph.D., APRN, CNM
Third Advisor
Kristin McHale, DNP, RN
Abstract
Dementia, a condition that causes cognitive and physical impairments in the aging population, is becoming a global health issue as life expectancy continues to rise. Ineffective and inhumane interventions, such as physical and chemical restraints, are often used in acute hospitalizations due to safety concerns stemming from behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Nurses often feel overwhelmed by the complex needs of patients with dementia and may suffer from moral injury while trying to care for them with limited interventions. Fortunately, integrative therapies such as mindfulness meditation, energy therapies, and sound healing, show promising results for patients with dementia. Resonant Silence Technique, designed for patients with dementia, combines periods of sound and silence and has proven effective in reducing anxiety, agitation, and stress and improving mood, concentration, and communication among the dementia population. An Integrative Therapy Sanctuary developed for a suburban Medical-Surgical floor allows nurses and patients with dementia to experience Resonant Silence Technique in a calm, person-centered environment based on Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, which emphasizes human being, caring, and the environment as key concepts. A thirty-minute educational session along with pre and post surveys for nurses on the Medical-Surgical floor evaluates the implementation of this program and possible expansion to other healthcare settings. Further research on Resonant Silence Technique for patients with dementia is essential to continue holistic healing for physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Identifier
SC 11.MAN.2022.Porteous.J
Recommended Citation
Porteous, Jess, "Sound and Silence for Patients With Dementia" (2022). Theses and Graduate Projects. 1263.
https://idun.augsburg.edu/etd/1263
Comments
Resonant Silence Technique (RST) ® is a trademarked therapeutic program created by Miriam Fein for those with dementia and other cognitive and neurological conditions. To learn more about Resonant Silence Technique tm and to get training, please contact Miriam at her website which is https://www.resonantsilencetechnique.com/.