An investigation of rocking as relaxation for the elderly

Ymptoms of stress and anxiety are more prevalent in the elderly than in any other age group, occurring at over twice the rate than in young adults. Ten percent of the elderly show measurable symptoms of chronic anxiety, and nearly 20% take prescribed antianxiety drugs at some time within a given year) The maladaptive potential of stress and its relationship to pathologic states, preventive measures, and therapeutic interventions for stress management have been in recent years the focus of health care. Collectively called techniques, stress management interventions serve to elicit what Benson 2 identified as the relaxation response. The relaxation response is a set of physiologic changes consistent with decreased sympathetic nervous system activity, manifested by decreases in oxygen consumption, blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate, and by an increase in skin resistance. 3, 4 Elicitation of the relaxation response has been shown to have physiologic and psychologic benefits. 5s Many relaxation techniques require considerable training and cooperation that may be unrealistic for some elderly individuals. Therefore the need to develop relaxation-inducing interventions for elderly persons with varying levels of physical and cognitive functioning is evident. It has been suggested that slow is inhibitory to the central nervous system. According to Bonadonna, 9 rocking provides a general inhibitory or relaxing effect on the individual, thereby decreasing frustration, anxiety, tension, and/or blocking out an overstimulating environment. This inhibitory effect is thought to be provided through the neurologic innervation of the reticular formation by the vestibular system. Several studies have