A pilot randomized mobile health mindfulness intervention for older adult caregivers of family members with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias

Objectives: To examine feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a mindfulness training in lonely older adult caregivers for family members with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias using mobile health technology. Method: This was a two-arm randomized controlled trial: 55 caregivers were randomized to a 14-day (a) smartphone-based mindfulness training (Headspace mobile app; n = 24) or (b) active control (Breathing app; n = 31). Loneliness was assessed using end-of-day diary surveys pre- and post-training. Results: A total of 50 caregivers completed the training and pre- and post-training assessments (91%), and all who completed the post-training assessment reported they were satisfied or very satisfied with the program. A secondary aim was to examine whether the mobile health mindfulness training intervention reduced loneliness. A mixed effect linear model using end-of-day survey-sampled loneliness showed a non-significant decline in loneliness among participants in the mindfulness group (p =.27). Participants who used the breathing app demonstrated a significant decrease in loneliness (p =.00). Conclusion: The 14-day breathing training may have provided a more targeted approach to improving subjective loneliness in this population. Overall, these results demonstrate that older caregivers can use technology to improve experiences of loneliness.