Authors (including presenting author) :
Yuen KL(1), Chan YKJ(1), Lam YF(1), Ng ML(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Department of Medicine, PYNEH
Keyword 1: :
Carer Stress
Introduction :
Dementia caregivers face severe stress from round-the-clock care demands, leading to burnout, depression, and poorer patient relationship. With 60% reporting psychological distress, caregiver stress has reached critical levels, negatively impacting both patient care and caregiver wellbeing. This study evaluates brief clinic-based mindfulness and Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) techniques to reduce stress levels among dementia caregivers during routine nursing clinic or visits.
Objectives :
Addressing the critical need for accessible caregiver support, we identified a significant gap in scalable non-pharmacological interventions. While existing research has explored general mindfulness approaches for caregivers, our study represents the systematic evaluation of brief nurse-led mindfulness and NSDR training integrated into routine nursing care. The intervention introduced practical meditation techniques using the freely available mobile application, combined with NSDR protocols including controlled breathing exercises and guided self-body scanning, which were implemented during standard nursing clinic visits.
Methodology :
Fifty-three primary caregivers participated in the four interventions within 11 months (May 2024- Mar 2025), with stress levels measured using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) pre- and post-training.
Result & Outcome :
Results showed significant reductions in caregiver burden, with mean ZBI scores decreasing from 40.4 (moderate-to-severe burden) to 30.7 (mild-to-moderate burden) post-intervention (p < 0.01). Participant satisfaction surveys revealed that 90% caregivers found the techniques easy to implement, and 84% reported immediate stress relief during sessions. This study demonstrates that simple non-invasive interventions can make a significant difference in alleviating the dementia caregiver burden, offering a practical model for integration into standard nursing care protocols.
