ABSTRACK
APPLICATION OF SLOW STROKE BACK MASSAGE (SSBM) THERAPY IN
THE ELDERLY WITH SAFE AND COMFORT NEEDS AND CHRONIC
PAIN NURSING PROBLEMS
At Tresna Werdha Magetan Social Home
Mellyza Dewi Hafshari
Faculty of Health Sciences, Muhammadiyah University of Ponorogo
Email: mellyyamoli@gmail.com
Compromised safety and comfort are conditions resulting from pain,
anxiety, activity limitations, or sleep disturbances that affect quality of life. One
non-pharmacological intervention that can be employed is slow stroke back
massage (SSBM) therapy. This scientific paper aims to apply slow stroke back
massage therapy to address the safety and comfort needs of elderly individuals
experiencing chronic pain.
Nursing care was provided at Wisma Shinta, part of the Magetan Social
Service Unit for the Elderly (UPT Pelayanan Sosial Tresna Werdha), from July 27,
2026, to August 2, 2026, utilizing the nursing process approach. Assessment
findings indicated issues regarding safety and comfort, characterized by pain,
restlessness, facial grimacing, protective behavior, limited activity, and sleep
pattern disturbances. The SSBM intervention consisted of a back massage
administered for 3–10 minutes once daily in the afternoon over seven consecutive
days. Following the intervention, there was a reduction in complaints of pain,
restlessness, grimacing, and protective behavior, alongside improvements in
activity levels and sleep quality. Evaluation results showed that the pain score,
based on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), decreased from 7 to 4.
The results of the implementation indicate a reduction in pain intensity and
discomfort responses among elderly individuals with chronic pain following
SSBM therapy. Based on these findings, SSBM therapy can serve as an alternative
non-pharmacological intervention for healthcare professionals and caregivers to
help reduce pain intensity and enhance the comfort of the elderly. This therapy is
relatively simple, easy to implement, and does not require complex equipment.
Keywords: elderly, feeling of insecurity, chronic pain, slow stroke back massage
therapy