Feasibility and Pilot Testing of a Mindfulness Intervention for Frail Older Adults and Individuals With Dementia. Res Gerontol Nurs 2018 May 01;11(3):137-150
Date
03/03/2018Pubmed ID
29498748DOI
10.3928/19404921-20180223-01Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85049130257 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 13 CitationsAbstract
UNLABELLED: Mindfulness interventions have been beneficial for healthy adults and individuals experiencing a stressful medical or mental health diagnosis. The purposes of the current study were to: (a) determine feasibility of mindfulness for older adults in long-term residential settings, and (b) examine differences in outcomes between a mindfulness and cognitive activity. The current study is the first mindfulness study to include individuals in moderate and severe stages of dementia, and included 36 individuals with a range of cognitive abilities. A crossover design was used, and the intervention was feasible for continued practice by individuals with cognitive impairment. Statistically significant short-term changes in agitation, discomfort, anger, and anxiety were found. Nighttime sleep did not improve, but participants slept less during the day. Long-term changes in outcomes were not found. Mindfulness may be useful in decreasing emotional reactivity and improving well-being of older adults in long-term care.
TARGETS: Individuals with multiple chronic conditions, including cognitive impairment.
INTERVENTION DESCRIPTION: The Present in the Now (PIN) intervention is a mindfulness intervention with three components: attentional skill exercises, body awareness activities, and compassion meditation.
MECHANISMS OF ACTION: Mindfulness acts to decrease emotional reactivity through cognitive and affective mechanisms of action and neural activation of the cingulate cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus.
OUTCOMES: Agitation, affect, stress, sleep, discomfort, and communication of need. [Res Gerontol Nurs. 2018; 11(3):137-150.].
Author List
Kovach CR, Evans CR, Sattell L, Rosenau K, Gopalakrishnan SAuthor
Sandeep Gopalakrishnan MS, PhD Assistant Professor and Director, Biobehavioral Research Laboratory in the College of Nursing department at University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AgedAged, 80 and over
Cognition
Cross-Over Studies
Dementia
Female
Frail Elderly
Humans
Male
Mindfulness
Treatment Outcome
