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The authors evaluated their impact on behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and pain, and extracted pragmatic \u201cdose\u201d and delivery parameters to inform a research blueprint. The authors searched major databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, CENTRAL) for studies from January 2005 to February 2023 involving people with any dementia aetiology\/severity in community, residential, or inpatient settings. Eligible designs included randomised, quasi-experimental, and pre\u2013post studies with a comparator (usual care, attention\/quiet presence, or sham\/light-touch). Data were extracted to a prespecified template; study quality was appraised using CASP tools. Owing to substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity, the authors conducted a structured narrative synthesis as opposed to meta-analysis. Thirty-three studies met inclusion: 21 massage, 8 acupressure, 3 therapeutic\/healing touch, and 2 reflexology\/shiatsu. Most were in long-term care or inpatient settings. Interventions typically used brief, repeated sessions (5\u201320 minutes, several times per week for 2\u20136 weeks). The most consistent finding was short-term calming, particularly reductions in agitation immediately post-session or over brief treatment courses, with the clearest pattern for massage and acupressure. Effects on broader neuropsychiatric symptoms (e.g., NPI\/NPI-NH domains) and pain were mixed. Where monitored, no serious adverse events were reported; minor transient issues (e.g., brief restlessness, skin sensitivity with aromatherapy oils) were infrequent and acceptability generally high. Risk of bias was mixed (\u224849% low, 42% moderate, 9% high), and durability beyond 4\u20138 weeks was rarely assessed. Current evidence provides preliminary indications that brief, touch-based therapies may offer short-term calming effects when used alongside person-centred care, although certainty remains low and findings should be interpreted cautiously. The authors propose a pragmatic research blueprint that predefines session length, frequency, and course duration; uses attention\/sham controls; adopts core outcomes (e.g., Cohen Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), Neuropsychiatric Inventory\/Neuropsychiatric Inventory adapted for Nursing Homes (NPI\/NPI-NH); Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia (PAINAD) where relevant); ensures blinded assessment; and extends follow-up. The authors recommend that future work should prioritise feasibility\/pilot studies, followed by adequately powered trials to determine effectiveness, durability, and scalability for practice.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/14713012261445473","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T19:46:16Z","timestamp":1777578376000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Touch-Based Therapies in Dementia Care: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8623-4016","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bryan","family":"Mitchell","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of the West of Scotland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0410-4627","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eileen","family":"Harkess-Murphy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of the West of Scotland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nicola","family":"Douglas-Smith","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of the West of Scotland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Joshua","family":"Cheyne","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of the West of Scotland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_4_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2147\/CIA.S36739"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_3_4_3_1","first-page":"4","article-title":"The effects of massage therapy on pain management in the acute care setting","volume":"3","author":"Adams R.","year":"2010","unstructured":"Adams R., White B., Beckett C. 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