Feasibility and Pilot Testing of a Mindfulness Intervention for Frail Older Adults and Individuals With Dementia

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.

Individuals with multiple chronic conditions, including cognitive impairment.

The Present in the Now (PIN) intervention is a mindfulness intervention with three components: attentional skill exercises, body awareness activities, and compassion meditation.

Mindfulness acts to decrease emotional reactivity through cognitive and affective mechanisms of action and neural activation of the cingulate cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus.

Agitation, affect, stress, sleep, discomfort, and communication of need. [Res Gerontol Nurs. 2018; 11(3):137-150.].