eprintid: 10162286 rev_number: 6 eprint_status: archive userid: 699 dir: disk0/10/16/22/86 datestamp: 2023-01-04 17:07:36 lastmod: 2023-01-04 17:07:36 status_changed: 2023-01-04 17:07:36 type: article metadata_visibility: show sword_depositor: 699 creators_name: Pacini, A creators_name: Stickland, A creators_name: Kupeli, N title: Connecting in place: older adults' experience of online mindfulness therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic ispublished: pub divisions: UCL divisions: B02 divisions: C07 divisions: D79 divisions: FH6 keywords: COVID-19, mental health, mindfulness, older people, qualitative paper, Humans, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, COVID-19, Pandemics note: © Crown copyright 2022. This article contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/). abstract: BACKGROUND: the negative consequences of COVID-19 distancing measures on older adults' mental health and ability to access services have been well documented. Online cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness interventions for older adults, carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, have shown that these interventions are feasible and have potential mental health benefits. However, little research has been carried out on older adults' experiences of engaging with online psychological therapy, and specifically mindfulness therapy. OBJECTIVES: to understand the experience of older adults engaging with online mindfulness therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: a qualitative analysis of four community-based focus groups. PARTICIPANTS: thirty-six community dwelling older adults aged between 65 and 85 years were recruited via older adult organisations, charities and the local press. Nineteen percent had long-term physical health conditions, 25% had severe and enduring mental health difficulties and 19% had mild to moderate mental health difficulties. RESULTS: there was a strong sense of group cohesion and community from the participants.Three main themes were identified: reasons for applying, experience of the mindfulness therapy and connecting at home. CONCLUSIONS: the majority of participants were positive about attending a mindfulness group online. This extended to the perceived psychological and social benefits as well as practical considerations. While some participants noted technological hurdles at the beginning of the course, the findings challenge previous studies that suggest older adults are reluctant to engage in online psychological therapies and has important implications for the future provision of psychological therapies to this population. date: 2022 date_type: published publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP) official_url: https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afac270 oa_status: green full_text_type: pub language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 1996365 doi: 10.1093/ageing/afac270 medium: Print pii: 6881503 lyricists_name: Kupeli, Nuriye lyricists_id: NKUPE48 actors_name: Kupeli, Nuriye actors_id: NKUPE48 actors_role: owner funding_acknowledgements: 399 AS-JF- 17b-016 [Alzheimer's Society Junior Fellowship]; 399 AS-JF- 17b-016 [Alzheimer’s Society Junior Fellowship]; [East and West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group Equity in Mind] full_text_status: public publication: Age and ageing volume: 51 number: 12 article_number: afac270 event_location: England citation: Pacini, A; Stickland, A; Kupeli, N; (2022) Connecting in place: older adults' experience of online mindfulness therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Age and ageing , 51 (12) , Article afac270. 10.1093/ageing/afac270 <https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing%2Fafac270>. Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10162286/1/Online%20mindfulness%20FGs%20Pacini%2022.pdf