The Effect of Abdominal Massage on Constipation in the Elderly Residing in Rest Homes

Constipation is a health problem commonly seen in the elderly. In the present study, the effect of abdominal massage on constipation in the elderly was examined. The study sample consisted of 22 elderly people residing in a nursing home in the province of Manisa who were suffering from constipation in June 2014 to February 2015. The following were used to collect data: a case identification form; the Rome III Functional Constipation Diagnosis Criteria Form; the Bristol Stool Scale, consisting of the Recall Bias and Visual Scale Analog; and the Standard Diary Constipation Monitoring Form. The comparison of the mean scores obtained before, during, and after the implementation of abdominal massage in the elderly revealed that the number of bowel movements, stool weight, and stool consistency scores increased during and after the implementation. The differences between the mean intra- and postimplementation scores in terms of stool weight and between the pre- and postimplementation mean scores in terms of stool consistency were not statistically significant. There was a statistically significant difference between straining scores except for those obtained during intra- and postimplementation application. It was determined that abdominal massage increased the number of bowel movements, stool weight, and stool consistency, decreased the mean scores for straining, and decreased inability to completely empty the bowels (except on the implementation days).