Full Article - Facilitating Mindfulness-Based Interventions For Anxiety in Older People - History Effectiveness and Future Possibilities

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Articles
Facilitating Mindfulness-Based
Interventions for Anxiety in Older People:
History, Effectiveness, and Future
Possibilities
Catherine Hungerford  , RN, PhD , Sharon Hills , RN PhD, Catelyn Richards , RN, BN,
Tracy Robinson , RN, PhD & Danny Hills , RN, PhD
Pages 1014-1021 | Published online: 02 Sep 2022
 Download citation  https://doi-org.ejournals.um.edu.mt/10.1080/01612840.2022.2116510
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Abstract
The origins of mindfulness go back some 25 centuries to Eastern teachings,

including Buddhism and Hinduism. Mindfulness-based interventions gained
credence in Western mental health settings in the late 1970s through the work of
medical researcher Kabat-Zinn, whose interest in Eastern meditation led him to
develop a program for stress reduction. Since then, mindfulness-based

In this article
interventions have been utilized for various populations, including older people with
https://www-tandfonline-com.ejournals.um.edu.mt/doi/full/10.1080/01612840.2022.2116510 1/53
interventions have been utilized for various populations, including older people with
27/06/2023, 23:51 Full article: Facilitating Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety in Older People: History, Effectiveness, and Future Possibilities
anxiety. Group mindfulness-based interventions have demonstrated benefits for

older people with anxiety living in residential aged care and the community. In
primary care settings, innovative delivery models for group mindfulness-based
interventions could be facilitated by nurses to support older people with anxiety to
age in place with dignity. The benefits of mindfulness-based interventions suggest
the value of integrating ancient Eastern techniques with modern Western strategies
to achieve better health outcomes for older people with mental health concerns.
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Introduction
Mindfulness has many definitions and conceptualizations (Thompson, 2020),

including "intentionally bringing one's attention, in a nonjudgmental manner, to the
internal and external experiences that exist in the present moment" (Edenfield &
Saeed, 2012, p. 132). Derived from ancient Eastern teachings, the practice of
mindfulness enables an emotional neutralizing of past experiences and future
possibilities to achieve acceptance (Karunamuni & Weerasekera, 2019). Hofmann
and Gómez (2017) compare mindfulness to the ‘mindlessness’ or non-attention
often associated with contemporary Western lifestyles, including fast-paced activity,
maladaptive ruminating about events and decisions, and high levels of anxiety and
depression, all of which are predictive of unhappiness. In contrast, focusing on the
present moment to achieve mindful states can lead to psychological wellbeing (Keng
et al., 2011).
This paper discusses how mindfulness-based interventions are used to manage

anxiety symptoms in older people. The discussion begins with a history of
mindfulness-based interventions, then considers the effectiveness of these
interventions for managing symptoms of anxiety. Following this is an appraisal of
research demonstrating the positive outcomes of group mindfulness-based
interventions for reducing anxiety symptoms in older people. The paper then
explores the future of mindfulness-based programs in the context of an aging

population. Finally, and in the context of the United Nations (UN) Decade of Healthy
population. Finally, and in the context of the United Nations (UN) Decade of Healthy
Aging (2021–2030), a rationale is provided for primary care nurses to deliver group
mindfulness-based interventions to support older people who live in the
community.
History of mindfulness-based interventions in western health

settings
The origins of mindfulness go back some 25 centuries to Eastern teachings of

Buddhism, Hinduism, and Tibetan meditation techniques (Kabat-Zinn, 2011). These
teachings and techniques involve a set of principles and practices to support people
in their quest for happiness and spiritual freedom (Karunamuni & Weerasekera,
2019). For example, the benefits of mindfulness were highlighted in the Pali Nikayas,
the early collections of Buddha:
Monks, this is the one-way path for the purification of beings, for the
overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and
displeasure, for the achievement of the method, for the realization of
nibbäna, that is, the four establishments of mindfulness. … Here, a monk
dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind
in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending,
mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard (sic) to
the world. (in Bodhi, 2011, p. 21).
Since then, mindfulness has been widely used across Asia to manage unhelpful
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Schuman-Olivier et al., 2020).
The benefits of meditation practices caught the attention of Western populations in

the 1960s and early 1970s, with globalization and the rise of the ‘New Age’
movement (Bodhi, 2011). By the late 1970s, mindfulness-based interventions in
Western health settings were gaining empirical support through researchers such as
Kabat-Zinn et al. (1992) at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Kabat-
Zinn's interest in Eastern meditation, coupled with a career in medical science, had
him considering how to reduce people's feelings of psychological stress and anxiety,
him considering how to reduce people s feelings of psychological stress and anxiety,
and improve their communication and lifestyles, by integrating the dharma's

historical, philosophical and cultural principles into Western frameworks (Kabat-
Zinn, 2011). His work led him to develop a now widely used mindfulness-based
stress reduction program (MBSR) (Williams & Kabat-Zinn, 2013).
Following the evolution of MBSR, Segal et al. (2002) developed a psychiatric

treatment program to prevent relapse, which they named mindfulness-based
cognitive therapy (MBCT). This therapeutic approach combined conventional
Western cognitive-behavioral therapy with mindfulness techniques (Feldman &
Kuyken, 2013). In contrast to the more generic applications of MBSR, MBCT was
developed to target specific conditions (Williams et al., 2008) and provide
information to participants about the challenging situations they experienced (e.g.
symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, how to manage these symptoms, and signs
of relapse) (Feldman & Kuyken, 2013).
Subsequently, other mindfulness-based programs have been developed, including

Mindfulness Awareness Programs (MAPs). These programs taught participants
practices to increase their ability to live in the present moment rather than relive
past event; or feel stress, worry or anxiety about various situations (de Sousa et al.,
2021). In addition, a substantial body of research has been generated to
demonstrate the effectiveness of the mindfulness-based techniques and programs
(Goldberg et al., 2022). This evidence is discussed in more detail in the next section.
Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in western

health settings
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions has been demonstrated in

various studies, including randomized-controlled trials (RCTs). From a medical
perspective, mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to decrease
hippocampal atrophy and reduce cholesterol, hypertension, and inflammation,
leading to improvements in telomerase activity, cerebral blood flow, cortical
thickness, and white matter integrity (Berk et al., 2016). Such physical improvements
have been linked to reductions in stress, anxiety, depression and improvements in
have been linked to reductions in stress, anxiety, depression and improvements in
cognition (Hazlett-Stevens et al., 2019).
From a behavioral viewpoint, mindfulness-based interventions improve the

wellbeing and can control problematic symptoms in people with chronic disease
management (Williams et al., 2015); chronic pain (Shapero et al., 2018); vascular
disease and hypertension (Abbott et al., 2014; Lee et al., 2020); substance misuse
(Mumba et al., 2022); and anxiety and depression (Hofmann & Gómez, 2017).
Mindfulness-based interventions have also achieved cognitive and health
improvements, together with symptom control, in specific population groups, such
as veterans (Goldberg et al., 2019); people of color (Sun et al., 2022); people with
HIV/AIDS (Scott-Sheldon et al., 2019); family carers (Murfield et al., 2021); adults
(Galante et al., 2021); younger people (Le & Gobert, 2015; Gindidis et al., 2019); and
older adults with a range of physical, cognitive, mood and stress-related issues
(Marchant et al., 2021; Zhou et al., 2018). Mindfulness-based programs are perhaps
most beneficial for people experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression
(Hofmann & Gómez, 2017).
Although anxiety and depression are often co-associated, this co-association is not a
given. For example, anxiety disorders have their own discrete diagnostic criteria.
Even so, less attention has been given in the research literature to how anxiety can
affect people's quality of life (Ribeiro et al., 2020). Likewise, stress, worry and anxiety
are often co-associated; however, while stress-related disorders are evident in
diagnostic manuals, these disorders are linked to traumatic events or experiences
rather than generalized anxiety (Phoenix Australia, 2021).
To address this lack of attention on anxiety and its effects, the remainder of the
paper focuses on the usefulness of mindfulness-based interventions for generalized
anxiety. A particular focus of the discussion is anxiety in older people.
Mindfulness-based interventions and anxiety
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2017a), some 3.6% of the global
population, equating to some 260 million people experienced an anxiety disorder in
population, equating to some 260 million people experienced an anxiety disorder in
2015. According to WHO (2022) estimations, the proportion increased by some 25

percent during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many countries identifying major
service gaps. This situation suggests the pressing need for cost-effective
interventions that can be used in various settings to improve people's anxiety levels
and their quality of life.
Mindfulness-based interventions have been used effectively to support people by

teaching them the principles for managing symptoms of dementia. For example,
Han (2022) found that mindfulness-based interventions helped reduce anxiety in
family caregivers, while Syeda and Andrews (2021) reported that mindfulness-based
interventions could help manage anxiety symptoms in children, although it was also
recommended that more research was required on these areas.
Research evidence has confirmed the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions

for reducing anxiety symptoms in older people. For instance, a randomized clinical
trial involving a mindfulness-based intervention adapted specifically for older adults
with subjective cognitive decline was found to reduce subclinical symptoms of
anxiety from pre- to post-intervention (Marchant et al., 2021). Likewise, Tsai et al. (
2020) report on a mindfulness-based intervention that effectively reduced
relocation anxiety in older people with diabetes. These studies highlight the value of
mindfulness-based interventions in supporting older people in managing their
anxiety symptoms.
Anxiety in older people
Worldwide, some 3.8% of older people experience anxiety disorders (WHO, 2017b),
with an even larger number experiencing stress and anxiety symptoms more
generally (Canuto et al., 2018). Symptoms and presentations are many and varied.
First, subjective symptoms include, without being limited to: worry or fear about
past, present, and future situations, including but not limited to the physical
symptoms of aging; feeling overwhelmed and avoiding situations that cause stress;
being unable to make decisions; developing obsessive-compulsive behaviors;
insomnia; detachment; and pain with no physical cause (Gilbody, 2016; Helmes &
Ward, 2017). Second, anxiety in older people can co-occur or overlap with
Ward, 2017). Second, anxiety in older people can co occur or overlap with
medication conditions common in older people, such as cardiovascular disease and

metabolic syndromes (Chang et al., 2016). Third, anxiety coincides with the
challenges associated with illness, disability, and mortality (Davison et al., 2017).
Fourth, anxiety in older people is linked to accelerated neurocognitive aging (Peavy
et al., 2009), depressive disorders, reduced quality of life, increased disability and
healthcare consumption, and suicide (Alvorado & Modesto, 2017).
Such symptoms and presentations are concerning, particularly in light of the UN

declaration that 2021–2030 is the Decade of Healthy Aging (2021–2030). Anxiety can
detrimentally impact the quality of life of older people, including their capacity to
live independently in the community. Also of note, some of the correlates of anxiety
in older people (e.g. poor physical health, lack of social support, and an inability to
cope with stressful life events) are potentially modifiable, with little work evident on
the development of interventions to address the identified issues (Richardson et al.,
2011).
It is concerning that older people can receive sub-optimal treatment once diagnosed
with anxiety. For example, despite recommendations to the contrary (Psychotropic
Expert Group, 2013), the first line of treatment for anxiety in primary care is typically
pharmacotherapy, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-
norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors or, less commonly, benzodiazepines (Metzler
et al., 2016; Thorp et al., 2009). Moreover, many older people report experiencing
negative associations with medication, including stigma, financial cost, concerns
regarding polypharmacy, and adverse side effects (Klainin-Yobas et al., 2015).
Such negative associations with medications could explain why up to three-quarters

of older adults prefer holistic, non-pharmacological interventions to
pharmacological treatment (Gonçalves & Byrne, 2012). Mindfulness-based
interventions provide an evidence-based way to support older people's treatment
preferences, enable better self-management of their health conditions, and
promote options for better health. In addition, these interventions are consistent
with recommendations made by the UN, through the WHO (2021), to improve the
lives of older people, their families and the community in various ways, including the
delivery of integrated care and primary health services that are responsive to the
delivery of integrated care and primary health services that are responsive to the
needs and preferences of older people.
Mindfulness-based interventions for anxiety in older people
Mindfulness-based interventions can be effective for older people, whether they live
in residential aged care or the community. For example, Helmes and Ward (2017)
used a quasi-experimental research study in a residential aged care setting to
measure the benefits of participation in an MBCT program to manage anxiety
symptoms in older people. The results suggested significant improvements in all
measures at the end of the seven-week program for the intervention group
compared to the control group, which had no significant changes. Kamranmehr
et al. (2020) employed a quasi-experimental study in a residential aged care setting
to find that group mindfulness training and bio-relaxation feedback for older
women significantly improved anxiety, depression and dynamic balance in
comparison to the control group. Likewise, Kovach et al. (2018) found that
participation in group mindfulness-based programs in residential aged care settings
can lead to decreased emotional reactivity through the cognitive and affective
mechanisms of action, and neural activation of the cingulate cortex, amygdala and
hippocampus, in turn giving rise to decreases in agitation, stress and discomfort.
Research results measuring the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on

anxiety symptoms were also positive for older adults living independently in the
community. For example, in an RCT with a qualitative component that measured
participants’ subjective responses to their assigned inventions, Fiocco et al. (2019)
compared changes in anxiety and stress in participants of either an adapted MBSR
program or a reading and relaxation program over eight weeks. Findings for both
groups were positive, with the group engaged in the mindfulness-based intervention
displaying an increase in coping strategies relative to the reading and relaxation
program group.
Klainin-Yobas et al. (2019) reported findings of an open-label paralleled RCT that

compared a MAP to a focused Health Education Program, with both programs
delivered in the community. Each program was offered once a week for 40 minutes
for three months, then once a month for 40 minutes for six months. Participants of
for three months, then once a month for 40 minutes for six months. Participants of
the MAP were taught mindfulness meditation according to the specific needs of
older people (McBee, 2014), while participants of the Health Education Program
were taught about healthy living (e.g. healthy diet, exercise, physical functions, and
activities), sleep and sleep hygiene and the nature of mood disorders and cognitive
changes in older people. The MAP and the Health Education Program had similar
positive effects on anxiety symptoms (Klainin-Yobas et al., 2019).
Torres-Platas et al. (2019) likewise used an RCT to measure the effectiveness of a

mindfulness-based intervention used to support older people with anxiety. They
compared findings of the intervention with treatment as usual, with the intervention
demonstrate a good effect on anxiety symptoms. Additionally, both Wetherell et al. (
2017) and Zhang et al. (2015) utilized an adaptation of the MBSR program developed
by Kabat-Zinn et al. (1992) and compared this to a HEP (Wetherell et al., 2017) or
wait-list (Zhang et al., 2015). While Wetherell et al. (2017) found improvements in
anxiety symptoms, Zhang et al. (2015) found no statistical differences between the
anxiety symptoms of the intervention and control groups; there were reductions in
symptoms of depression and improvements in sleep. Wetherell et al. (2017) also
measured behaviors and outcomes post-study and found that all MBSR participants
continued to participate in some mindfulness practice weekly. The most commonly
maintained strategies were mindful breathing (86%), informal mindfulness (86%),
and formal meditation (78%). The less frequently held techniques were yoga (58%)
and body scans (53%).
The future of mindfulness-based interventions for older people
The development and evaluation of the group mindfulness-based interventions for

older people with anxiety and other mental health issues suggests several
possibilities for the future of mindfulness in health and care settings globally. For
example, an increasing number of older people are expressing their preference to
participate and contribute as productive members of a community for as long as
they are able (Marshall et al., 2021) and to age in place with dignity (Kasper et al.,
2019). Additionally, and as already noted, up to three-quarters of older adults prefer
non-pharmacological interventions for mental health problems (Gonçalves & Byrne,
non pharmacological interventions for mental health problems (Gonçalves & Byrne,
2012).
From an economic point of view, governments in Australia and the United Kingdom
are supporting the delivery of integrated care programs and primary health services
that are responsive to older people and reduce demand for and the rising costs of
residential aged care services (Graycar, 2018; Lee et al., 2022). Such developments
also auger well for using mindfulness-based interventions in primary care settings
to reduce anxiety in older people, in accordance with their preferences.
Of interest, then, is the suggestion by Tang and Lee (2021) that group mindfulness-
based interventions could be delivered by non-mental health specialists (i.e.
‘generalist’ health professionals) who have completed training in mindfulness-based
interventions, rather than mental health professionals. This suggestion is supported
by other studies (e.g. Torres-Platas et al., 2019; Wetherell et al., 2017), which utilized
generalists, such as nurses who had received training to facilitate the mindfulness-
based programs. Such a move would be consistent with the origins of mindfulness,
which was traditionally taught by generalists (i.e., monks); the move also aligns with
the preferences of older adults, who are more likely to seek help from their primary
care providers than from a mental health specialist (Wetherell et al., 2005).
Implications for nursing practice
In the context of a worldwide shortage of mental health specialists (Hoffmann et al.,

2020; Olfson, 2016), there is a need to consider the feasibility of utilizing generalists
trained by mental health specialists to facilitate group mindfulness-based
interventions. Such generalists could include primary care nurses with access to
rooms suitable for group activities (e.g. local community centers). The utilization of
primary care nurses would be consistent with the WHO (2021) Decade of Healthy
Aging strategies, which promote the delivery of integrated care and primary health
services that are responsive to the needs and preferences of older people. The
approach would also be consistent with the WHO (2018) framework for integrated
care for older people, which promotes the realignment of primary health care to
respond to population aging.
respond to population aging.
In Australia, more than 95% of older adults (65 years and older) visit their primary
care physician or ‘general practitioner’ at least annually (Australian Bureau of
Statistics, 2018), with general practices viewed as one of the most accessible and
affordable health services, including those offered by the general practice nurses
(Hills et al., 2019). In addition to conducting holistic health assessments and
managing chronic illness and complex health conditions, general practice nurses
play a key role in implementing health promotion and illness prevention activities
(Innes, 2019). Their role includes supporting community-dwelling older people to
self-manage conditions such as mild-to-moderate anxiety.
In countries offering universal health care (e.g. Australia, Canada and the United
Kingdom), the facilitation of group programs for older people with anxiety
symptoms by general practice or primary care nurses could be an accessible and
affordable supplement to medical consultations. In countries without universal
healthcare, group mindfulness-based interventions could still be affordable if the
participants shared the cost of the progam, or the benefits of the program were
promoted to community or local government organizations, to attract funding.
Participation in group mindfulness-based programs could be particularly helpful if

the programs formed part of a modular collaborative (Archer et al., 2012) or
stepped-care treatment model (Gilbody, 2016; van Orden et al., 2017). Such
approaches use fewer resource-intensive interventions in the first instance, with the
intensity of the interventions increasing as the older person's condition deteriorates
(Meuldijk & Wuthrich, 2019). The benefits of nurses facilitating such modular
collaborative or stepped care models would include enabling the older person to
establish a connection and build therapeutic rapport with the nurse and supporting
team to facilitate referral, enhancing clinical accountability, and enabling a seamless
pathway into more intensive care when required.
Nurses could also facilitate mindfulness-based programs in residential aged care

facilities. For example, residential aged care settings provide a convenient setting for
delivering such programs, with residents able to access exercise rooms. Moreover,
such programs could potentially be added to formalized activities already in place.
such programs could potentially be added to formalized activities already in place.
However, the studies conducted in residential aged care facilities examined for this
paper used only mental health specialists (e.g. psychologists) to provide the
intervention. There is a need for more research on the use of generalists to provide
mindfulness-based interventions in residential settings.
Implications for further research
Research to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of utilizing nurses trained to

facilitate group mindfulness-based programs in primary care settings would be
useful for several reasons. First, the approach could address the issues encountered
by the worldwide shortage of mental health specialists (Hoffmann et al., 2020;
Olfson, 2016). Second, the approach could leverage the opportunities presented by
the higher likelihood of older adults seeking help from their primary care providers
than from a mental health specialist (Wetherell et al., 2005). Third, nurses could
support participants who formed part of a modular collaborative (Archer et al.,
2012) or stepped-care treatment model (Gilbody, 2016; van Orden et al., 2017), with
those who experienced deterioration in their health and wellbeing be referred on to
specialists.
In some countries, examining funding streams for these programs would also be
important. For example, despite the universal health coverage offered in Australia,
there are ongoing issues with the Medicare and other federal government payment
structures that fund nursing services in general or family practices. General practice
nurses are funded to offer individual interventions only (Department of Health,
2014), suggesting the need to re-consider how current funding models could be
adapted to incorporate group interventions or explore the effectiveness of one-to-
one relaxation and mindfulness-based intervention for older people when it is
provided by primary care or general practice nurses.
In addition to the research evidence pointing to the benefits of group mindfulness-

based interventions in reducing anxiety in older people, some studies suggest that
regular engagement with other active, non-mindfulness-based group interventions
is also effective (e.g. Fiocco et al., 2019; Klainin-Yobas et al., 2019). Such
interventions included a health education program and a facilitated reading and
interventions included a health education program and a facilitated reading and
relaxation program. These findings raise questions about whether the type of
group-based interventions used is less important than the older person actively
engaging in regular group activities, regardless of the focus. Focused research is
required to compare and contrast the outcomes of these different types of group
programs.
Conclusion
Mindfulness-based interventions have evolved over 25 centuries from Eastern

meditation techniques facilitated by monks to be integrated into Western health
interventions, with a robust research base to demonstrate effectiveness. Group
mindfulness-based interventions address the potentially modifiable correlates of
anxiety and reduce the negative impacts of anxiety on a person's quality of life. Such
interventions are effective for older people, including those who live in the
community and need help managing their symptoms of anxiety. The development
and delivery of these interventions are consistent with strategies advocated by WHO
(2021) to support the UN Decade of Healthy Aging through strategies such as
promoting the delivery of integrated care and primary health services that are
responsive to the needs and preferences of older people.
To address the worldwide shortage of mental health professionals, generalists

trained in the facilitation of mindfulness-based interventions could support the
delivery of group mindfulness-based interventions. Such generalists could include
primary care nurses, general practice nurses, or nurses working in residential aged
care settings. In primary health settings, the utilization of nurses could support the
implementation of modular collaboratives or stepped-care initiatives, where less
resource-intensive interventions are used initially, with increasing intensity of
interventions as the person's condition deteriorates. Further research is required to
explore and evaluate such approaches and thereby provide an effective way to
reduce anxiety's impact on older people's lives, supporting them to age well.
Disclosure statement
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Funding
The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this
article.
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The origins of mindfulness go back some 25 centuries to Eastern teachings,

develop a program for stress reduction. Since then, mindfulness-based

anxiety. Group mindfulness-based interventions have demonstrated benefits for

 Previous article View issue table of contents Next article 

Mindfulness has many definitions and conceptualizations (Thompson, 2020),

This paper discusses how mindfulness-based interventions are used to manage

explores the future of mindfulness-based programs in the context of an aging

History of mindfulness-based interventions in western health

The origins of mindfulness go back some 25 centuries to Eastern teachings of

The benefits of meditation practices caught the attention of Western populations in

and improve their communication and lifestyles, by integrating the dharma's

Following the evolution of MBSR, Segal et al. (2002) developed a psychiatric

Subsequently, other mindfulness-based programs have been developed, including

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in western

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions has been demonstrated in

cognition (Hazlett-Stevens et al., 2019).

From a behavioral viewpoint, mindfulness-based interventions improve the

Mindfulness-based interventions and anxiety

2015. According to WHO (2022) estimations, the proportion increased by some 25

Mindfulness-based interventions have been used effectively to support people by

Research evidence has confirmed the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions

Anxiety in older people

medication conditions common in older people, such as cardiovascular disease and

Such symptoms and presentations are concerning, particularly in light of the UN

Such negative associations with medications could explain why up to three-quarters

needs and preferences of older people.

Mindfulness-based interventions for anxiety in older people

Research results measuring the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on

Klainin-Yobas et al. (2019) reported findings of an open-label paralleled RCT that

Torres-Platas et al. (2019) likewise used an RCT to measure the effectiveness of a

The future of mindfulness-based interventions for older people

The development and evaluation of the group mindfulness-based interventions for

Implications for nursing practice

In the context of a worldwide shortage of mental health specialists (Hoffmann et al.,

Participation in group mindfulness-based programs could be particularly helpful if

Nurses could also facilitate mindfulness-based programs in residential aged care

Implications for further research

Research to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of utilizing nurses trained to

In addition to the research evidence pointing to the benefits of group mindfulness-

Mindfulness-based interventions have evolved over 25 centuries from Eastern

To address the worldwide shortage of mental health professionals, generalists

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

 Previous article View issue table of contents Next article 

2. Alvorado, C., & Modesto, V. (2017). Psychotherapeutic treatment approaches of

4. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2018). 4364.0.55.001 - National Health Survey: First

6. Bodhi, B. (2011). What does mindfulness really mean? A canonical perspective. In

[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]

22. Han, A. (2022). Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on depressive

Psychology, 6(3), 248–233. https://doi-

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