Mindfulness and older people: a small study

Abstract

Very little research examines how older people respond to mindfulness-based therapy, nor has there been much literature on the subject published by occupational therapists. Method: This small research study was carried out with four older people who attended mindfulness classes run by an occupational therapist. Focus groups took place during the classes, and follow-up interviews were carried out a year later. Interpretative qualitative analysis was used to analyse data. Findings: The findings indicated that all four participants readily accepted this approach, believing it was especially suited to their age group. Although they all reported positive experiences during the classes, one year on they were either too ill to be interviewed or found that life events had prevented them from continuing to be mindful. Conclusion: The use of mindfulness-based therapy with older people is recommended, but more research is needed in this area.