Stress reduction for paid home care aides: A feasibility study of mindfulness meditation and Tai Chi interventions
Author: Allison K Hansell1, Richard Olmstead2, Eric López Maya3, Sahar Banijamali4
Affiliation:
1 Research Insights and Innovations, Senior Program Manager of Population Health and Safety SEIU 775 Benefits Group, Seattle, WA, USA.
2 Research Psychologist Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA.
3 Director General, Instituto Mexicano de Mindfulness & Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA.
4 Department is Research Insights and Innovations, Director of Research Insights and Innovations SEIU 775 Benefits Group 215 Columbia St #300, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Conference/Journal: Home Health Care Serv Q
Date published: 2023 May 17
Other:
Special Notes: doi: 10.1080/01621424.2023.2214087. , Word Count: 168
Evidence of effective self-care strategies to support Home Care Aides' (HCAs) mental health is limited. This study compares the feasibility of implementing one of two non-clinical, evidence-based stress-reduction treatments: mindful awareness practices (MAPs) meditation versus Korean-style Tai Chi. Program effectiveness was assessed on a range of self-reported health and mental health quantitative outcomes at three time-points. Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in depression, insomnia, and negative affect during the six weeks (all p. <0.05), but only the MAPs group demonstrated a sustained improvement in negative affect at three-month follow-up (p. <0.05). At three-month follow-up, 55% of Tai Chi participants continued practicing learned techniques, compared to 75% of MAPs participants. MAPs were found to be more practical and amenable to integration in daily life compared to Tai Chi. Showing positive results on both feasibility and effectiveness assessment, MAPs were chosen over Tai Chi to be scaled as a benefit to HCAs.
Keywords: Aging; home care aides; home care workers; mental health; mind-body practices; personal care attendants; stress reduction.
PMID: 37194733 DOI: 10.1080/01621424.2023.2214087
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