A new study from McGill University has found that breathing practices can help reduce mental health symptoms in those living with cognitive decline or dementia.
Researchers reportedly looked into several non-pharmacological interventions, such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga, tai chi and other breathing practices, and found that strategies such as keeping sessions under an hour, recruiting family or staff to reinforce program participation, having flexible scheduling and clear routines, as well as holding group sessions, can be particularly helpful.
“Many older adults living with mild cognitive impairment or dementia also experience increased rates of mental health symptoms linked to depression, anxiety, loneliness and stress,” said Isabel Sadowski, a PhD candidate in Counselling Psychology at McGill University and lead author of the paper.
“Many studies reported improvements in depression, anxiety, stress and quality of life, though findings were mixed overall,” said Sadowski, summarizing the review’s key findings. “Better outcomes were more often seen when programs were shorter, simpler and cognitively less demanding, and when caregivers and technological reminders were involved.”
The research team, however, noted that it remains unclear which types work best, for whom, and under what conditions, and will be conducting further research that will focus on the real-world development and testing of technology-based mind-body interventions for older adults living in long-term care homes.
For more on the study, which was conducted in collaboration with the University of Montreal and the University of Sherbrooke, click here.
