<![CDATA[Introduction: Hypertension is one of the non-communicable diseases commonly found in the elderly. The high prevalence of hypertension among older adults is influenced by factors such as age, lifestyle, and stress levels, thereby encouraging the development of non-pharmacological interventions, including finger-holding therapy and deep breathing exercises. Objective: To determine the effect of finger-holding therapy and deep breathing on blood pressure among elderly individuals in Dusun II Suko, Cawas District, Klaten Regency, Central Jawa. Methods: This study used a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group involving 72 respondents (36 in the intervention group and 36 in the control group), selected using purposive sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The intervention group received therapy for 16 days (6 sessions), while the control group received standard therapy. Data were collected using questionnaires, blood pressure measurements, and observations (pretest-posttest), and analyzed using non-parametric tests due to non-normal data distribution (Shapiro-Wilk p < 0.05), with the Wilcoxon test used to assess the effect. Results: Finger-holding therapy and deep breathing were effective in reducing blood pressure, as indicated by a decrease in the intervention group (138.72 to 89.44 mmHg) and an increase in the control group (87.37 to 158.03 mmHg). For systolic pressure, the mean rank ranged from 31.46 to 35.82 with p = 0.000 (significant), while for diastolic pressure, the mean rank ranged from 34.33 to 26.13 with p = 0.175 (not significant). Conclusion: Finger-holding therapy and deep breathing are effective in reducing blood pressure in the elderly, particularly systolic pressure, through relaxation of the autonomic nervous system. These interventions have the potential to be widely applied as a basis for developing non-pharmacological therapies for hypertension. ]]>
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