Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Seniors—An Exploratory Semi-Randomized Examination of Decentering Effects on Cognitive Functions and Psychological Distress

The need for psychological treatment in the community, specifically in times of crisis and for those in isolation, calls for finding suitable interventions, especially for older adults. The present study examined the effect of a short mindfulness-based intervention emphasizing a ’decentering’ component and an equivalent guided-imagery intervention on cognitive and emotional measures in seniors living in the community. Thirty community seniors (M_age = 74.7) performed either ’decentering’ or matched guided-imagery intervention, or care as usual as a control. The 8-week interventions included weekly 20 min sessions and daily 10 min home practice. Participants underwent a cognitive and emotional assessment before and after the interventions, which included filling out questionnaires and performing the cognitive Simon task. The results showed improvements only for intervention groups: cognitively, reduced response time and improved accuracy rate were found in the Simon task. Emotionally, reported depression levels were decreased and an increase in reported positive relationships was found. Our study, hence, introduces two intervention protocols, with promising positive effects on psychological and cognitive status. This contributes evidence-based treatments, easy to deliver in nursing homes or retirement communities, for improving the life quality of older adults.