Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Terminal Restlessness in End-of-Life Care

Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Terminal Restlessness in End-of-Life Care

A literature review was conducted between October 2020 to November 2020 to identify the best non-pharmacological interventions for dementia patients facing terminal restlessness. Eight pieces of literature were selected by researchers for review regarding end-of-life patients with dementia. The focus was on non-pharmacological interventions, as research showed that they may be more efficacious and have less adverse reactions then common pharmacological approaches. Methods were developed to implement non-pharmacological interventions for dementia patients specifically for Spencer Hospital in Spencer, Iowa. Outcomes of this project include that the non-pharmacological interventions aromatherapy, touch therapy, environmental modification, caregiver training and communication are best for improving end of life care in patients with terminal restlessness.

Keywords: terminal restlessness, interventions, non-pharmacological, dementia, end of life, hospice, and agitation.