Objective: Many older adults cope with various chronic physical health conditions, and in some cases, with mental health and/or cognitive difficulties. Mindfulness-based interventions offer an evidence-based, mind-body complementary treatment approach for a wide range of comorbidities, yet most investigations were conducted with young or middle-aged adults. The purpose of this review was to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of two leading mindfulness-based interventions conducted with older adults. Methods: Our search of five databases identified seven RCT investigations of either Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) conducted exclusively with older adults. Results: Results generally supported the use of MBSR for chronic low back pain, chronic insomnia, improved sleep quality, enhanced positive affect, reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improved memory and executive functioning. In a sample of older adults exhibiting elevated anxiety in the absence of elevated depression, MBCT effectively reduced symptoms of anxiety. Conclusions: This review highlights the feasibility and possible benefits of MBSR and MBCT for older adults. Additional large scale RCTs conducted with older adults coping with the range of physical, behavioral, and cognitive challenges older adults commonly face still are needed. Clinical Implications: MBSR may be a promising intervention for older adults experiencing a variety of health concerns and possibly even cognitive decline. MBCT may reduce geriatric anxiety, although its effects on geriatric depression were not measured.
Objective: Many older adults cope with various chronic physical health conditions, and in some cases, with mental health and/or cognitive difficulties. Mindfulness-based interventions offer an evidence-based, mind-body complementary treatment approach for a wide range of comorbidities, yet most investigations were conducted with young or middle-aged adults. The purpose of this review was to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of two leading mindfulness-based interventions conducted with older adults. Methods: Our search of five databases identified seven RCT investigations of either Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) conducted exclusively with older adults. Results: Results generally supported the use of MBSR for chronic low back pain, chronic insomnia, improved sleep quality, enhanced positive affect, reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improved memory and executive functioning. In a sample of older adults exhibiting elevated anxiety in the absence of elevated depression, MBCT effectively reduced symptoms of anxiety. Conclusions: This review highlights the feasibility and possible benefits of MBSR and MBCT for older adults. Additional large scale RCTs conducted with older adults coping with the range of physical, behavioral, and cognitive challenges older adults commonly face still are needed. Clinical Implications: MBSR may be a promising intervention for older adults experiencing a variety of health concerns and possibly even cognitive decline. MBCT may reduce geriatric anxiety, although its effects on geriatric depression were not measured.
Entities:
Keywords:
Mindfulness based stress reduction; cognitive functioning; mindfulness based cognitive therapy; older adults; physical health outcomes
Authors: Tim Whitfield; Harriet Demnitz-King; Fabienne Collette; Miranka Wirth; Marco Schlosser; Thorsten Barnhofer; Eric Frison; Nina Coll-Padros; Sophie Dautricourt; Florence Requier; Marion Delarue; Julie Gonneaud; Olga M Klimecki; Antoine Lutz; Léo Paly; Eric Salmon; Ann-Katrin Schild; Zuzana Walker; Frank Jessen; Gaël Chételat; Natalie L Marchant Journal: Alzheimers Res Ther Date: 2022-09-06 Impact factor: 8.823
Authors: Abraham Z Snyder; Tomoyuki Nishino; Joshua S Shimony; Eric J Lenze; Julie Loebach Wetherell; Michelle Voegtle; J Philip Miller; Michael D Yingling; Daniel Marcus; Jenny Gurney; Jerrel Rutlin; Drew Scott; Lisa Eyler; Deanna Barch Journal: Front Neurosci Date: 2022-03-18 Impact factor: 4.677