Nursing Care to Fulfill the Needs of Safe and Comfortable Acupressure Massage Therapy for Blood Pressure in the Elderly with Hypertension

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is one of the health problems experienced by many elderly people, especially due to a modern unhealthy lifestyle. The incidence of hypertension continues to increase and is the leading cause of premature death worldwide, including in Indonesia. Pharmacological treatment of hypertension has side effects, so alternative non pharmacological management such as acupressure therapy is necessary. Objective: To find out the picture of nursing care in meeting the needs of safe and comfortable through acupressure massage therapy on blood pressure in the elderly with hypertension, as well as to identify and analyze the effectiveness of the therapy on changes in blood pressure before and after the procedure. Methods: This study used a descriptive case study method with a comparative approach on two elderly people with hypertension. Acupressure massage therapy is given once a day for five days with a duration of 20 minutes. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and blood pressure measurements before and after the intervention. Results: After five days of acupressure massage therapy, both elderly men experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure and pain scale. In the first patient, blood pressure decreased from 149/90 mmHg to 136/86 mmHg. In the second patient from 151/97 mmHg to 133/90 mmHg. Conclusion: Acupressure massage therapy is effective in lowering blood pressure in the elderly with hypertension. This intervention also increases the sense of comfort and can be used as a safe and simple non-pharmacological alternative in gerontic nursing care.