The Evidence: Massage Therapy for Older Adults, Aging Bodies, and Quality of Life
Aging brings natural changes to the body, including reduced muscle mass, changes in circulation, slower recovery, joint stiffness, chronic pain, sleep disruption, and increased stress on the nervous system. Many older adults also live with ongoing health conditions, reduced mobility, or increased sensitivity to medications.
Geriatric massage is a gentle, adaptable approach designed to support comfort, mobility, relaxation, and overall quality of life. Research identifies massage as a low-risk, non-pharmacological intervention that may help older adults manage pain, improve sleep, reduce anxiety, support circulation, and feel more connected to their bodies.
As the global population ages, supportive approaches that help older adults maintain independence, comfort, and well-being are increasingly important. The World Health Organization projects that the number of people aged 60 and older will reach 2.1 billion by 2050.
What the research shows…
1) Massage may help reduce pain and physical discomfort
Chronic pain is common in older adulthood and may be related to arthritis, joint stiffness, muscle tension, reduced movement, previous injuries, or long-term health conditions. Massage therapy has been studied as a non-drug approach for pain management and may support comfort by reducing muscle tension, improving local circulation, calming the nervous system, and supporting relaxation.
Reported outcomes include:
☑ Reduced muscle tension
☑ Decreased pain intensity
☑ Improved comfort with movement
☑ Reduced stiffness
☑ Improved relaxation
☑ Greater ease with daily activities
Research on massage and pain suggests that massage may be especially helpful as part of a broader care plan, alongside movement, medical care, exercise, physiotherapy, and self-management strategies.
2) Massage can support sleep quality
Sleep problems are common among older adults and may include difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking, restless sleep, or waking too early. Poor sleep can affect memory, concentration, energy, mood, immune function, fall risk, and overall quality of life.
A 2026 literature review examining back massage and sleep quality in older adults found that back massage consistently improved sleep quality across the studies reviewed. The authors concluded that back massage may be a safe, affordable, and easy-to-perform non-pharmacological intervention to support sleep in older adults.
Massage may support sleep by:
☑ Encouraging physical relaxation
☑ Reducing nervous system arousal
☑ Decreasing muscle tension
☑ Supporting parasympathetic “rest and restore” activity
☑ Reducing stress and anxiety before rest
☑ Improving body comfort at night
This does not mean massage “cures” insomnia, but it may help create better conditions for rest.
3) Massage may reduce anxiety, stress, and emotional distress
Older adults may experience increased stress due to health changes, grief, isolation, caregiving needs, reduced independence, relocation, or changes in routine. Therapeutic touch and massage can provide calming sensory input and help regulate the stress response.
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis in Nature Human Behaviour found that touch interventions were associated with improvements in both physical and mental health, including reductions in pain, anxiety, depression, and stress in adults.
Research in older adults living in nursing homes also found that aromatherapy massage significantly reduced anxiety and depression scores over the course of the intervention.
Reported outcomes include:
☑ Reduced anxiety
☑ Improved mood
☑ Lower perceived stress
☑ Increased relaxation
☑ Improved emotional well-being
☑ A greater sense of comfort and care
4) Massage may support people living with dementia
For people living with dementia, massage may offer gentle sensory support when verbal communication becomes more difficult. Touch can provide comfort, grounding, and reassurance when used appropriately, respectfully, and with consent.
A pilot randomized controlled trial of hand massage for hospitalized older adults with dementia found encouraging results related to stress biomarkers and agitation, although the authors noted that more research is needed.
Massage for people living with dementia may support:
☑ Relaxation
☑ Reduced stress cues
☑ Comfort through gentle touch
☑ Emotional reassurance
☑ Body awareness
☑ A calming routine
Massage for dementia care should always be adapted to the person’s comfort, communication style, health status, trauma history, and consent cues.
5) Massage may support circulation, tissue comfort, and mobility
Aging can be associated with reduced circulation, slower tissue recovery, swelling, stiffness, and changes in skin integrity. Gentle massage may support local blood flow, tissue oxygenation, relaxation of soft tissue, and comfort with movement.
A 2025 gerontology review described massage as a non-drug intervention in geriatric physical therapy that may help reduce pain and anxiety, improve microcirculation, reduce muscle tension, and support tissue healing in degenerative conditions.
Potential benefits include:
☑ Improved local circulation
☑ Reduced muscle guarding
☑ Improved tissue comfort
☑ Decreased stiffness
☑ Support for gentle mobility
☑ Increased body awareness
For older adults, massage pressure and positioning should always be adjusted based on skin fragility, medications, osteoporosis risk, circulation concerns, and comfort.
6) Massage can support quality of life
Quality of life matters at every age. For older adults, feeling comfortable, respected, mobile, rested, and cared for can make a meaningful difference in daily living.
Massage may support quality of life by helping older adults:
☑ Feel more comfortable in their bodies
☑ Sleep more peacefully
☑ Move with greater ease
☑ Experience less tension
☑ Reduce stress
☑ Feel grounded and supported
☑ Maintain connection through safe therapeutic touch
Research in palliative care populations also suggests massage may help reduce symptom burden and improve comfort and quality of life for people living with serious illness, although more high-quality research is still needed.
What this means in practice
Geriatric massage is not a cure for aging, chronic disease, pain, sleep disruption, or dementia. However, it can be a meaningful support for comfort, relaxation, mobility, sleep, and emotional well-being.
Older adults often benefit from massage that is:
☑ Gentle
☑ Slow
☑ Respectful
☑ Adapted to health history
☑ Focused on comfort and function
☑ Supportive of independence
☑ Responsive to pain, fatigue, and positioning needs
Geriatric massage honours the whole person, not just the condition, symptom, or age. It provides a therapeutic space where the body can soften, the nervous system can settle, and comfort can become more accessible.
References
Cates, C., Jordan, K., Munk, N., Farrand, R., Kennedy, A. B., & Groninger, H. (2023). Massage therapy in palliative care populations: A narrative review of literature from 2012 to 2022. Annals of Palliative Medicine, 12(5), 963–975. https://doi.org/10.21037/apm-23-126
Kartiko, J., Ghufroni, A., & Wahyono, Y. (2026). The effect of back massage on improving sleep quality in the elderly: A literature review. Jurnal Keterapian Fisik, 11(1), 82–99. https://doi.org/10.37341/jkf.v11i1.509
Khan, A. Y., Tarasova, O. O., Danylchenko, S. I., Golovchenko, I. V., & Morozenko, D. V. (2025). Physical therapy in gerontology: Opportunities for enhancing quality of life amid population ageing. Experimental and Clinical Medicine, 94(2), 41–54. https://doi.org/10.35339/ekm.2025.94.2.ktd
Mehrabian, S., Tirgari, B., Forouzi, M. A., Tajadini, H., & Jahani, Y. (2022). Effect of aromatherapy massage on depression and anxiety of elderly adults: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, 15(1), 37–45. https://doi.org/10.3822/ijtmb.v15i1.645
Packheiser, J., Hartmann, H., Fredriksen, K., Gazzola, V., Keysers, C., & Michon, F. (2024). A systematic review and multivariate meta-analysis of the physical and mental health benefits of touch interventions. Nature Human Behaviour, 8, 1088–1107. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01841-8
Schaub, C., Von Gunten, A., Morin, D., Wild, P., Gomez, P., & Popp, J. (2018). The effects of hand massage on stress and agitation among people with dementia in a hospital setting: A pilot study. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 43, 319–332. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-018-9416-2
World Health Organization. (2025). Ageing and health. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health