A variety of programs and delivery methods remove barriers to improving the mental health of the more than 53 million adults in the U.S. serving as caregivers

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, September 7, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Zen Caregiving Project, leading the way in teaching mindfulness to caregivers, today announced it has broadened its Zen-inspired Mindful Caregiving Education to include live and in-person education sessions caregivers can access on their own directly from the Zen Caregiving Project website as well as on-demand sessions for organizational partners. According to data from the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP’s report on Caregiving in the U.S. (2020), caregivers in the United States represent about 21% of the adult population, and they experience barriers to their psychological wellness such as cost, lack of time, and distance. Zen Caregiving Project teaches mindfulness-based approaches to build emotional resilience and reduce stress and anxiety in this ever-growing population by making mindfulness learning more accessible to a broad range of caregivers. The program also enables caregivers to improve the quality of care they provide while realizing self-compassion during life-changing times.

Mindful Caregiving Education for Family Caregivers
The efficacy of Zen Caregiving’s mindfulness training is documented in a recent nonrandomized trial published in the peer-reviewed journal Mindfulness—“Investigating the Feasibility and Effects of an Online Mindfulness Family Caregiver Training Program” (May 24, 2023)*—which investigated the feasibility and mental health outcomes associated with Mindful Family Caregiving (MFC) training delivered online. The trial concluded that “a brief, 4-week, online group mindfulness training may be feasible and effective in reducing caregiver burden and enhancing psychological well-being in family caregivers.”

“With 96% of study participants indicating that the MFC training experience was excellent and that intervention of this nature could be useful for other caregivers, this study validates how teaching mindfulness can promote resiliency in caregivers,” notes Chris Panos, President, Zen Caregiving Project Board of Directors. “Moreover, as the burden of caregiving falls disproportionality on family members and friends, more adults will find themselves in the role of caregiver, and Mindful Caregiving Education training programs can help bolster the emotional strength of this population.”

As leaders in the caregiving space, Zen Caregiving Project is devoted to improving the quality of care provided. To this end, Zen Caregiving provides mindfulness education and support programs to caregivers, promoting the core tenets of mindfulness: awareness, non-judgment, acceptance, and non-reactivity. Mindful Caregiving Education training is integral to these programs delivered through community outreach, business partnerships, and online engagement.

Mindful Caregiving Education introduces techniques that prepare caregivers to respond better to stressors, enhance self-efficacy, and improve caregiver well-being. The evidence-based program teaches concepts and practices of mindfulness and compassion, reconsidering the caregiver role, navigating loss and life transitions, and provides a community for caregivers to share similar experiences and offer support. More than 6,700 caregivers have participated in Zen Caregiving Project’s Mindful Caregiving Education programs, which include:
> Essentials of Mindful Caregiving, Four-part series – for all caregivers: short, guided meditations, instruction, exercises, and opportunities for participants to connect
> Mindful Family Caregiving, Four-part series – for family caregivers: short, guided meditations, instruction, exercises, and opportunities for participants to connect
> CAREgiving, Six drop-in sessions – for time-constrained family caregivers: caregivers can join sessions via computer or phone
> CAREgiving, Training Program – for partner staff: Train the Facilitator (TtF) program in which your staff is trained to deliver the CAREgiving program to family caregivers you work with

“As the access to mental health services becomes more challenging, Mindful Caregiving Education programs will play an increasingly vital role in supporting the communities in which our clients live and the healthcare organizations that serve them,” said Roy Remer, Executive Director, Zen Caregiving Project.

About Zen Caregiving Project
Founded in 1987 as the Zen Hospice Project, Zen Caregiving Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that enhances the care experience for caregivers and care recipients by teaching mindfulness and compassion as practical tools to improve wellbeing. Mindful Caregiving Education is rooted in the Zen Buddhist tradition, which teaches that all beings are united by their reliance on one another. In addition to Mindful Caregiving Education, Zen Caregiving Project partners with organizations across all sectors, tailoring programs to employee needs. Visit Zen Caregiving Project. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

*Juberg, M., Stoll, N., Goldin, P. et al. Investigating the Feasibility and Effects of an Online Mindfulness Family Caregiver Training Program. Mindfulness 14, 1531–1541 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02126-3

Kathleen Van Gorden
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