Implementation of mindfulness meditation to decrease depression in older adults attending a medical day care: a pilot study

Purpose of Project: Personal healthcare spending for depressive disorders accounted for $71.1 billion in 2013, making it the costliest mental health condition, and sixth costliest condition overall (Dieleman et al., 2016). Older adults have an increased risk of experiencing depressive symptoms due to chronic illnesses and cognitive impairments, which result in a decline in functional status and loss of independence (IOM, 2012). The aim of the project was to provide a strategy, mindfulness meditation, to address depression in the older population. Methodology: The study is a pilot study with a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design, to determine the effect of a 30-minute mindfulness meditation group conducted twice a week for four weeks, on PHQ-9 depression scores. The project site is an Adult Medical Daycare Center in Northern New Jersey. Results: Data analysis using the Wilcoxon signed rank test revealed a statistically significant decrease in post-intervention PHQ-9 scores compared to pre-intervention PHQ-9 scores. Implications for Practice: Incorporating mindfulness techniques in clinician’s practices, especially those who serve the older population, may improve patient outcomes.DNPIncludes bibliographical reference