Mindfulness based intervention in reducing burnout syndrome in geriatric healthcare providers in Chinese population: A case study

This study examined the effectiveness of an individual mindfulness-based intervention to alleviate burnout in geriatric healthcare providers in Hong Kong. This case study examined the effects of the intervention on a geriatric healthcare professional working in a nursing home in Hong Kong who presented with symptoms of burnout. Burnout is commonly found in intensive care personnel. Many studies in recent years have shown that mindfulness-based group intervention is effective in reducing stress and burnout in healthcare professionals; however, few studies have examined the effects of individual treatment of burnout among geriatric healthcare professionals in the Chinese population. This study also used mindfulness meditation model of 15 forms of mindfulness meditation combined with psychoeducation of burnout and stress. An individual intervention seemed applicable to this population due to their work overload and tight schedule within the Hong Kong geriatric healthcare services. The participant received a 6-week mindfulness-based intervention, comprising 12 hours of class time, and completed measures of mindfulness, compassion, burnout, anxiety, stress, and depression at baseline, midway, post, and 90 days following the intervention. The participants also gave weekly ratings of responses to stressful situations at work. Findings indicated that mindfulness training significantly correlated to self-compassion levels and were associated with reduced symptoms of burnout. These results seem to infer the feasibility and usefulness of individual mindfulness interventions for geriatric healthcare professionals in the Chinese population.