The hospital is an environment which accommodates the elderly, and which the elderly have to learn within at a time in which they are not in full possession of their physical, psychological, and cognitive capacities. They may experience humiliating situations which generate feelings of discomfort, embarrassment, and shame. Those intervening may be cold, lack compassion, and may have negative prejudices towards the elderly; this is another factor which makes them feel ill at ease. This may lead, among other things, to a fall in their self-esteem. Affective touch is a strategy which may improve the sense of personal worth of elderly patients, and thus improve their self-esteem. In order to popularize the use of affective touch in nursing practice, a study was carried out which aimed to test its effects on the self-esteem of the elderly patients. The results confirm that emotional touch influences the self-esteem of elderly patients positively. The authors of the study recommend systematic use of affective touch in nursing practice.