Effectiveness of Mindfulness-based Approaches on Stress, Depression, and Serum Cortisol among Elderly in Old Age...

Mental health issues, particularly stress and depression, are highly prevalent among the elderly, especially those residing in old age homes. Elevated serum cortisol levels are associated with prolonged stress and depression, leading to further health complications. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based approach in reducing stress, depression, and serum cortisol levels among elderly individuals in institutional care.

This quasi-experimental study was conducted in two old age homes in Chennai. A total of 48 elderly participants (aged 60-80 years) were selected using convenience sampling and divided into experimental (mindfulness intervention) and control (routine care) groups. The 12 weeks mindfulness intervention included techniques such as 5-Senses Grounding, Body Scan Meditation, mindfulness eating, Mindful Walking and breathing space meditation. Data were collected at baseline and 12 weeks post-intervention using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form (GDS-SF), and serum cortisol levels.

Post-intervention, 83.33% of the experimental group reported low stress compared to 12.50% in the control group (P = 0.001). Depression also significantly improved, with 41.67% achieving expected levels in the experimental group, while 70.83% in the control group remained moderately depressed (P = 0.001). However, serum cortisol levels showed no significant reduction (P = 0.21).

Mindfulness-based interventions effectively reduced stress and depression but did not significantly impact serum cortisol levels. Future research should examine longer interventions and alternative biomarkers. Nurses are key in integrating mindfulness into elderly care to enhance mental well-being.