Mindfulness-based stress reduction combined with reminiscence therapy: a non-pharmacological approach for older adults with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease

Objectives Non-pharmacological approaches are preferable to improve functional capacity and reduce emotional disorders for dementia patients with cognitive decline. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) combined with reminiscence therapy (RT) on cognitive function and behavioral and psychological symptoms in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods A total of 114 participants were randomly assigned to receive the reminiscence therapy combined with the MBSR program ( n = 58) and to receive the reminiscence therapy only ( n = 56) by using a computer-generated random table. The primary outcome measure was the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive section (ADAS-Cog) scale for assessing cognitive impairment. The secondary outcome measures were scores of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) scale, and Spirituality Index of Well-Being (SIWB) scale to evaluate depressive symptoms, behavioral symptoms, and spiritual wellbeing, respectively. Results The RT+MBSR group exhibited lower scores in the ADAS-Cog scale, CSDD scale, and NPI scale, with a higher score in the SIWB scale than the RT group post intervention and 3 months post intervention, suggesting MBSR program combined with RT could improve cognitive function, depressive, behavioral symptoms, and spiritual wellbeing of older adults with MCI or mild dementia. Conclusion The positive effects of MBSR program combined with RT on cognitive function and neuropsychiatric symptoms among patients with MCI or mild dementia suggest the need for more widespread use of this combination for older adults in geriatric care units.