A Randomised Clinical Trial (RCT) of the effects of the energy-based complementary therapy of Healing Touch versus placebo on the functional health of community dwelling older women.

INTERVENTION: Series of seven weekly sessions of Healing Touch treatments delivered in the participant's home. All sessions delivered by the same Level 4 trained Healing Touch registered nurse. Treatment time generally averaged 30 min, with rare exceptions of 20 minutes for 2 participants who could not tolerate supine position on massage table, and with 0‐1 of 7 treatments in each participant's series extending beyond 30 min to a maximum of 40 minutes, depending on the technique being used for that treatment session. Healing Touch is an energy‐based therapy that uses gentle touch on or above the body in particular locations in a specific sequence that differs for each of the 35 techniques within the established curriculum certified by the American Holistic Nurses Association. A different technique was used each week. Participants in both the intervention group and the comparator group were settled on to a massage table provided by the Healing Touch Nurse, and positioned with pillows for comfort and proper anatomical alignment, fully clothed except shoes. A lightweight sheet was placed over the participant for comfort and to prevent tactile perception of the provider's skin versus the placebo touch, after which a soft sleeping mask and ear plugs (to reduce sensory interruption and to maintain masking to group allocation) were applied by the Healing Touch Nurse. Techniques were chosen based on taking a short history at each home visit, and on an energetic assessment. Vital signs were taken before and after each treatment session for both groups. CONDITION: Functional decline Functional health Social support PRIMARY OUTCOME: Functional health as measured by the Basic Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living sub‐scales of the Older American Resources Survey Multidimensional Functional Assessment Questionnaire. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Cognitive Health, as measured by the Mini Mental Status Exam Participant self‐ratings on a 0‐10 scale of health status on four dimensions: physical health, emotional health, intellectual health and spiritual health. Psychological well being as measured by the Ryff Psychological Well Being scale, short form (18 items) Quality of Life, as measured by the Duke Health Profile Social support as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey Spiritual well being, as measured by the Paloutzian & Ellis Spiritual Well Being scale. Vital Signs: temperature, pulse, respirations, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. ; Temperature was assessed using a digital oral thermometer. Blood pressures were obtained by use of a stethoscope and an analog syphgnomanometer on the left arm only. Pulse and respiratory rates were obtained by placement of the stethoscope on the participant's upper chest, counting for 30 seconds for pulse and then another 30 seconds for respirations, and then doubling the rates to obtain a rate per minute for charting. Participants were told their heartbeat was being counted, but were not told their breaths per minute were being counted, to avoid conscious alteration of respiratory rate. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Living alone in the community in a house, unit or retirement village; receiving some assistance from family, friends, neighbours, volunteers or paid assistants for either home, yard, meals, transport, hygiene or nursing services; able to speak, read and write English.