Mindfulness Practice
In the Care of the Elderly
Dr. Valerie Thomson
Cultural Influences
Aging remains one of the last “taboos”
Cultural images are designed to make us feel
that aging is a sign of “failure”
 This attitude creates great pain and suffering
as we pit ourselves against the inexorable
process- developing signs of aging - crow’s
feet, stretch marks, age spots - and our
attempts at denial with facial creams, hair
colour, cosmetic surgery
 In a material culture, the outer world is of
primary importance
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Cultural Influences
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The aging individual is seen as “something less” than
when young, instead of something more
Aging can be transformed into a process of
developing wisdom, a cultivation of our ability to know
ourselves as whole human beings
With mindfulness practice while getting older we
learn we are more than our bodies and minds
Practice can help develop a welcome distance
between who we are and the suffering we experience
at the level of body and mind
Cultural Influences
Attitudes toward elder care are heavily
influenced by cultural norms
 Our ability to care for the elderly is also
dependent on our fear of growing old
ourselves - our personal experiences of
loneliness, embarrassment,
powerlessness, loss of role and
meaning
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Learning to Become Mindful
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In learning to become mindful, to age
consciously and without fear we must
be willing to face the truth of our own
lives - the content of our minds, our own
suffering and the suffering around us,
without averting our gaze, and allow it to
“be” in the present moment.
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From : Still Here, by Ram Dass
What Is Mindfulness?
The practice of being fully present, “in
the moment”
 A way to stop dwelling on the past or
worrying about the future
 An opportunity to fully experience our
lives
 A process of becoming fully conscious
 A way of “being” rather than a technique
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The Mindful Process
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Formal Practices
 Disciplined - meditation
 Awareness of the breath,
awareness of the
body (Body Scan), Exercise (Yoga, Tai Chi)
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Informal Practices
 Being
in the moment - eating, walking, washing
dishes
 Using cues and reminders to be mindful
Mindfulness Practices
Maintaining attention through the day,
often during routine activity
 Learning to focus, concentrate and calm
the mind and body
 Looking deeply at ourselves and the
way we do things, understanding
ourselves better
 Seeing clearly we can make good
choices for ourselves, change old habits
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Mindfulness at Work
Bringing our whole self to the job
Listen without calculating or analyzing
our next move
 Allows
for an authentic and meaningful
response, rather than a “pre-programmed
package”
Mindfulness at Work
Observe your own thoughts, feelings and
body sensations
 Use
this as information, allowing you to
understand the causes and conditions of your
own reactivity
Mindfulness at Work
Calm your mind and body
 Using
the breath as an anchor to the present
moment
 The 3 Minute Breathing Space Awareness/Gathering/Expanding
The Fruits of Practice
Mindfulness - cultivating good health,
both physical and mental
 Meditation - cultivating a calm, clear
mind and the ability to look deeply
 Understanding - clear perception
destroys illusions and insight is possible
 Patience - using the breath to slow
things down and let the day unfold
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Ways to Reduce
Workday Stress
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Take a few minutes in the morning to sit
quietly, meditate or take a slow quiet walk
Pay attention to your breathing when you
start up the car
Become aware of body tension while driving.
Consciously practice releasing and dissolving
the tension
Decide not to play the radio, be with yourself
Go the speed limit
Ways to Reduce
Workday Stress
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Pay attention to your breathing or the scenery
around you when stopped at a red light
Take a moment to orient yourself to the
workplace once you park the car
While performing your duties monitor bodily
sensation - consciously letting go of excess
tension
Use your breaks to truly relax - take a 2-5
minute walk or sit at a desk and recoup
Change your environment at lunch or try
closing your door if you have one
Ways to Reduce
Workday Stress
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Stop for 1-3 minutes every hour, becoming
aware of your breathing and your bodily
sensations
Use cues as reminders to centre yourself
(ringing phones or call bells)
Share some time with close associates at
lunch. Choose topics unrelated to work
Eat one or two lunches a week in silence
At the end of the day, retrace your steps,
acknowledge your accomplishments
Ways to Reduce
Workplace Stress
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Pay attention as you walk to your car - breathing the
air. Can you walk without feeling rushed?
Sit quietly when you first get in your car and
consciously make the transition from work to home
While driving, notice if you are rushing. What does
this feel like? What can you do about it?
When you pull into the driveway take a moment to
come back to the present. Orient yourself to being
with family.
Change out of work clothes, moving into your next
“role”
Adapted From: Saki Santorelli, Tips and Reminders for
Being Mindful During the Workday
Practice Resources
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Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for
Depression by Segal, Williams and Teasdale
The Wellness Book by Herbert Benson
Still Here by Ram Dass
Coming to our Senses by Jon Kabat-Zinn
The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat
Hahn
Guided Mindfulness Meditation Practice CD’s
by Jon Kabat Zinn: www.mindfulnesscds.com