The Effect on Constipation of Abdominal Massage Applied to the Elderly in the Nursing Home

The aim of this study was to evaluate how abdominal massage affects the constipation of the elderly in the nursing home. This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted with an intervention group ( n = 30) and a control group ( n = 31) in the nursing home of a government institution. A 15-minute abdominal massage was applied to the intervention group once a day, 5 days a week for 1 month. The control group received only routine treatment. The data were collected with a questionnaire, the Constipation Severity Instrument, the Visual Analogue Scale, the Bristol Stool Scale, and the defecation diary. It was determined that the Constipation Severity Instrument mean score, which was 40.6 ± 10.0 before the massage in the intervention group, decreased to 16.0 ± 11.6 after the application. The Visual Analogue Scale total score of the intervention and control groups, which was 40.2 ± 8.4 and 33.2 ± 5.9 before the massage, decreased to 18.7 ± 9.3 and 29.1 ± 6.58, respectively, at the end of the fourth week; the decrease was higher in the intervention group, and this difference between the groups was significant ( p < .05). It was determined that abdominal massage applied to elderly individuals residing in a nursing home reduced constipation. In this sense, it is recommended for nurses to implement abdominal massage in the management of constipation for elderly individuals.