PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of foot reflexiology massage on sleep
disturbance, depression disorder, and the physiological index of the elderly in nursing homes.

METHOD: The research design was a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest
quasi-experimental study. The subjects in this study were 50 elderly people who resided in two
different nursing homes in the same region. An experimental group and a control group were
organized with 25 subjects respectively, and foot reflexiology massage was provided for 12
sessions, 30 minutes per session. The selected dependent variables were sleep disturbance,
depression disorder, and physiological indices(blood plasma serotonin, serum cortisol), which
were all measured before and after foot reflexiology massage was offered. Data analysis
included chi2-test, t-test, paired t-test, and ANCOVA, using the SPSS program package.

RESULT: 1. The experimental group improved sleep quality more than the control group. 2.
The experimental group had less depression disorder than the control group. 3. The
experimental group had higher serotonin levels than the control group.

CONCLUSION: Foot reflexiology massage is a successful nursing intervention to elderly who
undergo a change in sleep and suffer from a depression disorder due to a deterioration in sleep