Older Informal Carers' Experiences Using a Digital Mindfulness-based Intervention

Across the world a change in demographics is occurring, with the average age of populations increasing alongside longer life expectancy. Increases in demand for health care alongside fewer staff and resources are resulting in policy shifts towards ageing in place. The number of older informal carers, often caring for a spouse, older family member or friend, will therefore continue to grow. A significant issue facing this cohort is stress, which can negatively affect other areas of health and wellbeing such as sleep quality, physical health, and psychological wellbeing. Mobile technologies delivering interventions to reduce stress offer an important alternative to traditional face-to-face supports which may not be accessible for those unable to leave a care recipient unattended for significant periods of time, or for those living in rural areas. Moreover, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been used to increase awareness and support coping strategies by providing carers with tools to manage their emotional and physical health and wellbeing. This paper addresses a gap in the literature by focussing specifically on older informal carers' experiences and engagement during an eightweek home-based trial with a digital health application, Mind Yourself, which delivered an MBI to manage stress alongside monitoring and management of blood pressure, activity and sleep.