Evaluating the effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention on an older adult ward
Nina Bagdi, Weronika Szary, Clea Dsouza
FPOP Bulletin Psychology of Older People October 21, 2026 DOI: 10.53841/bpsfpop.2026.1.176.36 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot programme / pre-post pilot study Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 4 |
| Population | Older adult inpatients with cognitive difficulties and/or complex mental health needs |
| Intervention | Mindfulness intervention based on the manual by Chan et al. (2017) |
| Duration | Weekly sessions over a 10-week period |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Individual responses to the mindfulness group varied: some participants improved in emotional wellbeing and mindfulness ability, while others showed minimal change or small decreases, and psychological distress largely remained stable or reduced. Participants reported feeling more relaxed and that sessions contributed positively to their wellbeing. |
Abstract
Background: There is increasing research exploring non-pharmacological approaches to supporting patients living with dementia.
Aim: This study explored a mindfulness intervention based on the manual by Chan et al. (2017) to determine whether it could be implemented on an older adult inpatient ward to support wellbeing. The pilot programme was delivered to service users with cognitive difficulties and/or complex mental health needs.
Methods: Service users were offered weekly sessions over a 10-week period, each introducing different mindfulness principles. Four participants attended from the start to the end of the group.
Results: Quantitative findings suggested that individual responses to the mindfulness group were variable. While some participants demonstrated improvements in emotional wellbeing and mindfulness ability, others showed minimal change or small decreases across measures, with psychological distress largely remaining stable or reduced. Qualitative feedback indicated that service users felt more relaxed and that the sessions contributed positively to their wellbeing.
Conclusion: The mindfulness group can be successfully implemented on an older adult inpatient ward. Further research with larger samples is needed to evaluate effectiveness more robustly.
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 |