Scientific research

• As early as 1998 studies were being carried out at the University of Rochester into the effects of a rocking motion with persons with dementia. Over a period of six weeks, trials were carried out on 25 subjects seated in traditional rocking chairs. The longer they rocked, the better the effect on their well-being. In addition, the group which regularly used the rocking chairs, required less medication than the control group.

• Another research study, carried out by Pieper et al. in the Netherlands in 2013, revealed that interventions aimed at reducing pain, as well as influencing behaviour, were most effective in combating agitation, depression and restlessness in persons with dementia. Rocking therapy was reported as being one of these interventions.

Applied research and pilot projects

The ZEN Care Chair with an electrically-powered Slow Motion rocking motion underwent meticulous development on the basis of applied research and pilot projects conducted in nursing homes in the Netherlands and Germany. The research was carried out in 2019 and the pilots took place in 2020 and 2021.

The research at Tante Louise health-care facility, location Hof van Nassau (Steenbergen)

Amongst all subjects an objective reduction in agitation was observed:

• Less physical and verbal agitation
• Behaviour such as wandering, roaming and searching ceased
• Residents became calm enough to take part in a group activity

The researcher concluded that the Fitform armchair could be successfully used in care institutions as part of an individual intervention plan. The simple act of rocking in the care chair, even in the home setting, was enough to put an agitated patient at ease. The intervention is particularly useful if the agitation has a disruptive effect on the rest of the group and staffing capacity does not allow for one-to-one support.

The pilots at De Zorggroep (Helden), Floravita Zorgpartners (Moordrecht) in the Netherlands and Residenz am Wiesenkamp (Hamburg) in Germany

Examples of feedback from the care homes following the pilot studies:

• More than half fall asleep during the rocking motion, allowing them to rest. If the rocking mechanism is not activated, patients relax, but do not fall asleep, which means the degree to which they are able to relax is reduced.

• Agitated residents are more quickly put at ease in the ZEN Care Chair than by a carer who tries to soothe that person by sitting next to them in their bed or chair.

• The ZEN Care Chair helps at night-time when patients get restless or those that start to wander around because they can’t get to sleep in their bed. Patients then often fall asleep in the chair as a result of the rocking motion.

• The ZEN Care Chair works very well in preventing perplexing behaviour through overstimulation later in the day, by allowing patients to rest more easily, rock in the chair and fall asleep.

• When a restless resident is rocking or sleeping in the chair, the care worker is able to give their attention to other residents.