Benefits of mindfulness training for patients with progressive cognitive decline and their caregivers.
Ken A Paller, Jessica D Creery, Susan M Florczak, Sandra Weintraub, M-Marsel Mesulam, Paul J Reber, Jessica Kiragu, Joshua Rooks, Adam Safron, Darby Morhardt, Mary O'Hara, Kathryn L Gigler, John M Molony, Michael Maslar
American journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias August 25, 2014 DOI: 10.1177/1533317514545377 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post intervention study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Patients with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers |
| Intervention | Mindfulness training |
| Duration | 8 weeks |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Dementia Disease progression Treatment outcome Cognition disorders Psychotherapy, group Adult Middle aged Caregivers Female Alzheimer’s disease Neurodegenerative disorders Mild cognitive impairment Caregiver stress |
| Key points | Pre-post analyses indicated that an 8-week mindfulness program for combined patient-caregiver groups was associated with increased quality-of-life ratings, fewer depressive symptoms, and better subjective sleep quality. Participants reported gratitude for learning mindfulness skills and would recommend the program, and the authors conclude it can be delivered at low cost and merits further investigation. |
Abstract
New strategies are needed to help people cope with the repercussions of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Patients and caregivers face different challenges, but here we investigated an intervention tailored for this combined population. The program focused on training skills such as attending to the present moment nonjudgmentally, which may help reduce maladaptive emotional responses. Patients participated together with caregivers in weekly group sessions over 8 weeks. An assessment battery was individually administered before and after the program. Pre-post analyses revealed several benefits, including increased quality-of-life ratings, fewer depressive symptoms, and better subjective sleep quality. In addition, participants indicated that they were grateful for the opportunity to learn to apply mindfulness skills and that they would recommend the program to others. In conclusion, mindfulness training can be beneficial for patients and their caregivers, it can be delivered at low cost to combined groups, and it is worthy of further investigation.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 25
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness- and Acceptance-Based Interventions for Informal Caregivers of People With Dementia: A Meta-Analysis The Gerontologist March 2, 2018
- Mindfulness Training for People With Dementia and Their Caregivers: Rationale, Current Research, and Future Directions Frontiers in Psychology June 13, 2018
- Occupational Therapist-Led Mindfulness Training Program for Older Adults Living with Early Cognitive Decline in Primary Care: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports 2023
- The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Mental Health and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of aging and health July 24, 2024
- A mindfulness-based multicomponent caregiver intervention (PAACC): objectives, study design, and cohort description. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2025
and 20 more in the library
Cites 11
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression August 21, 2006
- Cognitive-Affective Neural Plasticity following Active-Controlled Mindfulness Intervention Journal of Neuroscience October 31, 2012
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: Theory and Practice The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry February 1, 2012
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression. Industrial Psychiatry Journal October 29, 2024
and 6 more in the library