Mindful Yoga for Older Adults and Caregivers

In the proposed study, the investigators will conduct a fully powered, double-blind, and multicentered randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the efficacy of mindful yoga versus a psychoeducation control. The study sample will consist of older adults discharged from hospitals within the previous 3 months and their informal caregivers. The investigators will aim to determine: (1) the efficacy of mindful yoga in the study group versus the control group in improving the dyadic psychological well-being (as measured by depression, anxiety, stress, and meaning of life) of older adult-caregiver dyads (e.g., both actor and partner effects); (2) whether these improvements were maintained after 3 and 6 months; and (3) the lived experiences of older adults and their caregivers. The investigators hypothesize that: (1) mindful yoga will be more efficacious in improving outcomes compared with the control condition; (2) there will be both actor and partner effects of the intervention on the primary and secondary outcomes; and (3) these outcome improvements will be maintained at 3 and 6 months.

Inclusion criteria

Older adults discharged from hospital

• older adults aged 65 years or above;
• individuals who have been discharged from a local hospital within the previous 3 months who qualify for the Pilot Scheme on Support for Elderly Persons Discharged from Public Hospitals after Treatment and are receiving services from community support services;
• individuals with no mobility issues or who have limited mobility but can access the intervention sites using a wheelchair and are capable of practicing mindful yoga, even if in a wheelchair; and
• individuals who can understand Cantonese.

Caregivers:

• living with older adults during the transition period from hospital to home.

Exclusion criteria

Older adults discharged from hospital

• older adults diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or stress disorders by certified doctors;
• older adults diagnosed with severe dementia;
• homebound older adults who face difficulty attending the intervention sites; and
• older adults having a tech-enabled Hospital Admission Risk Reduction Program for the Elderly (HARRPE) score <0.17 or >0.29.

Caregivers:

• Family caregivers who have been diagnosed with severe mental health issues will be excluded from the proposed study.