Improving the health and well-being of community-dwelling caregivers of dementia sufferers: Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial of structured meditation training

Background: Caring for a person with dementia can be an unrelenting and burdensome task, one that is often detrimental to the caregiver's health, well-being, and functionality. The enduring stress and frustration of the caregiver role can also contribute to poorer outcomes for dementia sufferers. Building on growing clinical interest in the capacity for Transcendental Meditation® (TM; a relaxation technique) to reduce stress and anxiety in healthy workers, this study examines whether similar improvements could be experienced by dementia caregivers. Objective: The study objective was to ascertain whether a TM program can improve psychological stress, quality of life, affect, and cognitive performance of dementia caregivers.